not being sufficiently rapid to satisfy the impatience of Marlborough, he repaired from Rousselaer, to confer with Overkirk and the admiral, and to hasten the progress of the works. His presence produced an immediate effect; the counterscarp was carried on the 6th, and the besieged, after a fruitless sally, to recover their loss, were discouraged by the construction of the breaching batteries on the glacis, and beat a parley. According to the capitulation, they quitted the place without military honours, under promise not to bear arms against the allies for six months. Two Walloon battalions, and four troops of dragoons, the greater part of the garrison, entered into the service of the allies. In the harbour were found two men of war, one of 80, and the other of 50 guns, with 45 smaller vessels. This valuable conquest was achieved with the loss of only 500 men.

NOTWITHSTANDING the difficulties which the victorious general had overcome, he found it easier to effect the conquest of the Netherlands, than to arrange the internal government to the satisfaction of all the parties interested; to quiet the jealousies between the Dutch and the house of Austria; and at the same time to allay the umbrage conceived against England, with regard to the settlement of the barrier and commercial interests.

On the conquest of Spanish Guelderland, the administration had been consigned by Leopold, in the name of king Charles, to Count Zinzendorf, who was then imperial resident at the Hague. This appointment was afterwards transferred to his successor, the Count de Goes; and the elector palatine, brother-in-law of the emperor, was joined in the commission. Under this arrangement the administration had been conducted, until the battle of Ramilies, and no material difficulty

History of Europe for 1706; Gazette; Brodrick; Lediard; Correspondence of Overkirk with Marlborough during the siege.

had occurred, as the exercise of this delegated power was confined to the countries bordering on the Lower Meuse. But the decisive victory, which produced a revolution in the Netherlands, opened a new scene, by awakening the cupidity of the Austrian and Dutch governments, which had slumbered while the recovery of these rich provinces was deemed uncertain. A violent contest now arose who should appoint, or rather who should exercise, the powers of government. Under the dukes of Brabant and counts of Flanders, the administration and finances had been managed by a council of state, composed of the most considerable natives. Its functions had, however, been gradually abridged by the Austrian sovereigns of Spain, till it had become little better than an empty name; and on the usurpation of the French, it was superseded by an intendant, while the internal government was assimilated to that of France.

This change was, however, far from being grateful to a people jealous of their privileges, and the discontent it excited was among the prominent causes which occasioned the sudden declaration in favour of Charles. Of this disposition the Dutch readily availed themselves; and on the expulsion of the French, they laboured for the restoration of the council of state, with the hope of acquiring a paramount influence over a government similar to their own, and appointed under their auspices.

The views of the Dutch, however, had not escaped the penetration of the imperial court, and, on the reduction of Louvain, the Count de Goes demanded an audience of the States, to require their recognition of his authority as administrator. His demand being eluded, under the plea of consulting the queen, he despatched a messenger for the instructions of his court, and in the interim repaired secretly to Dusseldorf, to advise with the elector palatine, to whom he was directed to refer in cases of difficulty. On his return he endeavoured to effect a species of compromise, by requiring that the police should be consigned to his direction, and offering to enter into a treaty for the management of the financial and military administration.* His instances were, however, again eluded under the same plea, and all the ingenuity of the Dutch government was called forth to secure Lamberti, tome iv. p. 312.

their point, either by implicating the Duke of Marlborough in some arrangement, or by consigning the regency to a Spaniard till the pleasure of Charles could be known. The person who appears to have been selected for this purpose, was Don Bernardo de Quiros, who had acted as ambassador, first of Charles II., and afterwards of Philip, and had declared for the Austrian sovereign soon after the victory of Ramilies.

In this state of affairs an unexpected resolution on the part of the emperor gave a new turn to the views of the Dutch government. By a singular coincidence of circumstances, the very day which gladdened the court of Vienna with news of the relief of Barcelona, brought intelligence of the triumphant victory at Ramilies. In a transport of joy and gratitude, Joseph filled up a blank power which had been left by his brother, for any occurrence of emergency, with a decree, consigning to Marlborough the administration of the Netherlands; although the elector palatine, brother of the empress dowager, seems to have expected the offer of the government, and was entitled to great consideration, as well from his relationship to the imperial family, and his services to the grand alliance, as for having been already associated in the office. This patent Joseph transmitted with a gracious letter*, in the Latin tongue, stating that the government of the Belgic provinces could not be better confided than to the hand which had recovered them; and expressing a strong desire that neither the duke himself, nor the queen and states, would object to a disposition so just and so advantageous to the common cause.

Marlborough was himself not merely gratified by these spontaneous and unexpected proofs of favour and confidence, but appreciated all the advantages to England, and the confederacy in general, from such an authority confided to his hands. He therefore instantly imparted the news with the utmost secrecy to the treasurer for the decision of the queen and cabinet; and, in particular, requested his friend to convey the welcome intelligence to the Whig leaders for their approbation.

"June 28.—I received last night an express from Vienna, with the enclosed letter in Latin, from the emperor, and the powers from the king of Spain, in Spanish; that of the king of Spain was a blank signed by * Dated Vienna, June 13.

him, and left in the emperor's hand. As I have not been able to have the Spanish translated, I do not know exactly the powers. I shall keep it here a secret, till I know from you what her majesty's pleasure is, as also I shall take measures with my friends in Holland to know how they will like it; for I must take care that they take no jealousy, whatever the queen's resolution may be. I beg no notice may be taken till the emperor's minister shall apply to her majesty. I beg you to assure the queen, that I have in this matter, nor never shall have in any other, any desire of my own, but with all the submission in the world, be pleased with what she shall think is for her interest."

The minister was no less gratified than his friend, and the queen and cabinet participated in his satisfaction. The Whig leaders also were unanimous in their approbation. Godolphin, in reply, expressed their common sentiment.

Lord

"Windsor, June 24.-July 5. Since I had written this far, I have the favour of yours of the 28th, with the several papers enclosed. I do not return you the Spanish paper, not having had time to get it translated for you, as I intend to do; but I have been able to read it in English to the queen, who likes the thing very well, and leaves it to you to do as you shall judge best for her service, and the good of the common cause. I have not communicated this to any body yet, but Lord Somers and Lord Sunderland, who are both much pleased with it, as what they think is like to keep every thing in those countries upon a right foot, at least during the operations of this summer. They seemed to think there was no reason for the Dutch not to like it as well as we do, and both concluded with myself, that it was one of the rightest thoughts that ever came from the emperor's counsel. The queen has not yet had any notice of it from the imperial minister."

But although Marlborough had calculated on some trifling objections from the States, he was far from foreseeing the violent opposition which he was to encounter from the partial views and interested policy of the republic. While the confederates were employed in recovering the Low Countries, their union with the Dutch was in general cordial and sincere; but no sooner had the victory of Ramilies secured their object, than national interest began to operate. The Dutch were now only anxious to obtain an effectual barrier against France, and with that view were desirous to extend their territorial possessions at the expense of the Spanish monarchy. To this single object they sacrificed every other consideration, and made it the principle of all their negotiations and arrangements. Eager to appropriate the government, or, at least, the resources of the Low Countries, they even issued orders and established regulations by their own

authority; and it was with difficulty that Marlborough succeeded in persuading them to relinquish a system which must alienate Austria, England, and Spain.

At the moment when they had reluctantly consented to resign this darling object, the offer of the administration to Marlborough awakened their jealousies with double force. This feeling operated with peculiar effect, even on Pensionary Heinsius and the warmest friends of the British commander, and they did not disguise their sentiments of disapprobation. If the adherents of England were thus warm and decisive in their opposition, the friends of France and the independent party were still more indignant, and fears were justly entertained lest the Dutch should be induced by pique to accept the overtures of peace to which they had already listened.

This opposition alarmed the Austrian cabinet and perplexed the ministry in England. But Mariborough was too prudent, as well as too disinterested, to accept an appointment, however lucrative and honourable, in such invidious circumstances; and, therefore, after a short deliberation, he declined the proffered grant in terms which do credit to his sentiments and feelings.

To Lord Godolphin.

"Rousselaer, July 1.-M. Hope is come this day from Brussels, and I have communicated to him the emperor's letter, and the powers from the king of Spain. He made me great compliments, but I find by him that he thinks this may give uneasiness in Holland by thinking that the court of Vienna has a mind to put the power of this country into the queen's hands, in order that they may have nothing to do with it. If I should find the same thing by the pensioner, and that nothing can cure this jealousy but my desiring to be excused from accepting this commission, I hope the queen will allow of it; for the advantage and honour I might have by this commission is very insignificant, in comparison of the fatal consequences that might be, if it should cause a jealousy between the two nations."

The reply of the pensionary to the communication is not extant; but the answer of Marlborough enables us to trace the sentiments of his friend, and to estimate the warmth with which he opposed the appointment.

"Rousselaer, July 3.- Sir, by yours of the 30th of the last month, which I received last night, I find you had not received mine, in which I sent you the copies of what I had received from Vienna, but that the Count de Goes had acquainted you with his despatch. I write this to beg of you to do me the justice to be firmly persuaded that I shall take