of fuch perfons, it cannot be faid, properly fpeaking, to do them an injury. But, as it will be fome fatisfaction to our people, to know by whom they have been fo long abused, so, it may be of great use to us, and our pofterity, not to trust the fafety of their country in the hands of those, who act by fuch principles, and from fuch motives.

I have already obferved, that when the counfels of this war were debated, in the late King's time, a certain great man was then fo averfe from entering into it, that he rather chose to give up his employment, and tell the King he could ferve him no longer. Upon that Prince's death, although the grounds of our quarrel with France had received no manner of addition, yet this Lord thought fit to alter his fentiments; for the fcene was quite changed; his Lordship, and the family with whom he was engaged, by fo complicated an alliance, were in the highest credit poffible with the Queen. The treasurer's staff was ready for his Lordship; the Duke was to command the army, and the Dutchefs, by her employments, and the favour fhe was poffeffed of, to be always nearest her Majefty's perfon; by which, the whole power, at home and abroad, would be devolved upon that family. This was a prospect so very inviting, that, to confefs the truth, it could not be easily withstood by any, who have so keen an appetite for wealth or power. By an agreement, fubfequent to the grand alliance, we were to affift the Dutch with forty thousand men, all

* Duke of Marlborough.

*

to

to be commanded by the Duke of Marlborough. So that, whether this war was prudently begun, or not, it is plain, that the true spring or motive of it, was, the aggrandizing a particular family; and, in fhort, a war of the general and the miniftry, and not of the prince or people; fince thofe very perfons were against it, when they knew the power, and, confequently, the profit, would be in other hands.

With these measures fell in all that set of people called the monied men; such as had raised vast fums, by trading with flocks and funds, and lending upon great intereft, and premiums; whofe perpetual harvest is war, and whose beneficial way of traffic muft very much decline, by a peace.

In that whole chain of encroachments made upon us by the Dutch, which I have above deduced; and under thofe feveral grofs impofitions from other princes, if any one fhould afk, why our General continued so easy to the laft? I know no other way so probable, or indeed fo charitable, to account for it, as by that immeasurable love of wealth, which his beft friends allow to be his predominant paffion. However, I fhall wave any thing that is perfonal upon this fubject. I fhall fay nothing of thofe great prefents, made by feveral princes, which the foldiers ufe to call winterforaging, and faid it was better than that of the fummer; of two and half per cent. fubtracted out of all the fubfidies we pay in those parts, which amounts to no inconfiderable fum; and, laftly, of the grand perquifites in a long fuccefsful war, which are foamicably adjufted between him and the States. VOL. II.

L 1

But,

But, when the war was thus begun, there foon fell in other incidents here at home, which made the continuance of it neceffary for thofe, who were the chief advisers. The whigs were, at that time, out of all credit or confideration. The reigning favourites had always carried what was called the tory principles, at least as high as our conflitution could bear; and moft others in great employments, were wholly in the church intereft. These last, among whom were feveral persons of the greatest merit, quality, and confequence, were not able to endure the many instances of pride, infolence, avarice, and ambition, which those favourites began fo early to discover, nor to see them prefuming to be fole dispensers of the royal favour. However, their oppofition was to no purpose; they wrestled with too great a power, and were foon crushed under it. For thofe in poffeffion, finding they could never be quiet in their ufurpations, while others had any credit, who were at least upon an equal foot of merit, began to make overtures to the discarded whigs, who would be content with any terms of accommodation. Thus commenced this Solemn League and covenant, which hath ever fince been cultivated with fo much application. The great traders in money, were wholly devoted to the whigs, who had first raised them the army, the court, and the treasury, continued under the old defpotic adminiftration: the whigs were received into employment, left to manage the parliament, cry down the landed intereft, and worry the church. Mean time, our

:

allies,

allies, who were not ignorant, that all this artificial ftructure had no true foundation in the hearts of the people, refolved to make the best use of it, as long as it fhould laft. And the General's credit being raised to a great height at home, by our fuccefs in Flanders, the Dutch began their gradual impofitions; leffening their quotas, breaking their ftipulations, garrisoning the towns we took for them, without fupplying their troops; with many other infringements: all which we were forced to submit to, because the General was made easy; because the monied men at home were fond of the war; because the whigs were not firmly fettled; and becaufe that exorbitant degree of power, which was built upon a fuppofed neceffity of employing particular perfons, would go off in a peace. It is needlefs to add, that the Emperor, and other princes, followed the example of the Dutch, and fucceeded as well, for the fame reasons.

I have here imputed the continuance of the war to the mutual indulgence between our General and allies, wherein they both fo well found their accounts; to the fears of the money-changers, lest their tables fhould be overthrown; to the defigns of the whigs, who apprehended the lofs of their credit and employments in a peace; and to thofe at home, who held their immoderate engroffments of power and favour by no other tenure, than their own prefumption upon the neceflity of affairs. The truth of this will appear indifputable, by confidering, with what unanimity and concert thefe feveral parties acted, towards that great end. L.12. When

When the vote paffed in the houfe of Lords, against any peace, without Spain being reftored to the Auftrian family, the Earl of Wharton told the houfe, that it was indeed impoffible, and impracticable to recover Spain; but, however, there were certain reasons, why fuch a vote should be made at that time; which reasons wanted no explanation; for the General and the ministry, having refused to accept very advantageous offers of a peace, after the battle of Ramillies, were forced to take in a fet of men, with a previous bargain, to fcreen them from the confequences of that mifcarriage. And, accordingly, upon the first fucceeding opportunity that fell, which was the Prince of Denmark's death*, the chief leaders of the party were brought into feveral great employments.

Thus, when the Queen was no longer able to bear the tyranny and infolence of thofe ungrateful fervants, who, as they waxed the fatter, did but kick the more; our two great allies abroad, and our ftock-jobbers at home, took immediate alarm; applied the neareft way to the throne, by memorials and meffages, jointly directing her Majefty, not to change her fecretary or treasurer; who, for the true reafons that thefe officious intermeddlers demanded their continuance, ought never to have been admitted into the leaft degree of truft; fince what they did, was nothing lefs than betraying the intereft of their native country, to those princes, who, in their turns, were to do what they could, to fupport them in power at home.

Thus,

* Prince George of Denmark, husband to Q. Anne.