ites began so easily to dispose, nor to see them prefuming to be fole difpenfers of the royal favour. However, their oppofition was to no purpose; they wrestled with too great a power, and were soon 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 folemn 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 raifed them. The army, the court, and the treafury, 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, who were not ignorant, that all this artificial ftructure had no true foundation in the hearts of the people, resolved to make the best use of it as long as it fhould laft. And the general's credit being raifed to a great height at home by our fuccefs in Flanders, the Dutch began their gradual impofitions; leffening their quotas, breaking their ftipulations, garisoning the towns we took for them, without fupplying their troops; with many other infringements all which we were forced to fubmit to, because the general was made eafy; because the monied men at home were fond of the war; because

the

the whigs were not firmly settled; and because that exorbitant degree of power, which was built upon a fuppofed neceffity of employing particular perfons, would go off in a peace. It is needless 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, left 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 neceffity of affairs. The truth of this will appear indisputable, by confidering with what unanimity and concert these several parties acted towards that great end.

When the vote paffed in the houfe of lords against any peace without Spain being restored to the Austrian family, the earl of Wharton told the house, that it was indeed impoffible and impracticable to recover Spain; but however there were certain reasons why fuch a vote fhould be made at at that time; which reafons wanted no explanation: for the general and the ministry having refused to accept very advantageous offers of a peace, after the battle of Ramilies, were forced to take in a sett of men, with a previous bargain to skreen them from

I 4

from the confequences of that mifcarriage. And accordingly, upon the first fucceeding opportunity that fell, which was the [k] 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 nearest way to the throne, by memorials and meffages, jointly directing her majesty not to change her fecretary or treafurer; who, for the true reasons that these officious intermeddlers demanded their continuance, ought never to have been admitted into the leaft degree of truft; fince what they did was nothing less than betraying the intereft of their native country to those princes, who, in their turns, were to do what they could to support them in power at home.

Thus it plainly appears that there was a confpiracy on all fides to go on with those measures, which must perpetuate the war; and a conspiracy founded upon the intereft and ambition of each party; which begat fo firm an union, that, inftead of wondering why it lasted so long, I am astonished to think how it came to be broken. The prudence, courage and firmness of her majefty, in all the steps of that great change, would, if the particulars were

[] Prince George of Denmark, husband to queen Anne.

truly

truly related, make a very fhining part in her ftory; nor is her judgment lefs to be admired, which directed her in the choice of perhaps the only perfons, who had skill, credit, and refolution enough to be her inftruments in overthrowing fo many difficulties.

Some would pretend to leffen the merit of this by telling us, that the rudeness, the tyranny, the oppreffion, the ingratitude of the late favourites towards their mistress were no longer to be borne. They produce inftances to fhew, how her majesty was pursued through all her retreats, particularly at Windfor; where, after the enemy had poffeffed themselves of every inch of ground, they at last attacked and ftormed the caftle, forcing the QUEEN to fly to an adjoining cottage, purfuant to the advice of Solomon, who tells us, It is better to live on the house top, than with a fcolding woman in a large houfe, They would have it, that such continued ill usage was enough to enflame the meekeft spirit, They blame the favourites in point of policy, and think it nothing extraordinary, that the QUEEN fhould be at an end of her patience, and refolve to difcard them. But I am of another opinion, and think their proceedings were right. For nothing is fo apt to break even the bravest spirits as a continual chain of oppreffions; one injury is best defended by a fecond, and this by a third. By these fteps the old mafters of the palace in France became [1] mafters of the kingdom; and by these steps [] See the Tale of a Tub.

a gla

a general during pleasure might have grown into a general for life, and a general for life into a king. So that I still infift upon as a wonder, how her majesty thus befieged on all fides was able to extricate herself.

Having thus mentioned the real causes, although disguised under fpecious pretences, which have fo long continued the war, I muft beg leave to reason a little with thofe perfons, who are against any peace but what they call a good one; and explain themselves, that no peace can be good without an entire restoration of Spain to the house of Austria. It is to be fuppofed, that what I am to say upon this part of the fubject will have little influence on thofe, whose particular ends or defigns of any fort lead them to wifh the continuance of the war: I mean the general and our allies abroad, the knot of late favourites at home, the body of fuch as traffic in stocks, and laftly, that fett of factious politicians, who were fo violently bent at leaft upon clipping our conftitution in church and ftate. Therefore I fhall not apply myself to any of these, but to all others indifferently, whether whigs or tories, whofe private intereft is beft answered by the welfare of their country. And if among these there be any, who think we ought to fight on till king Charles be quietly fettled in the monarchy of Spain, I believe there are feveral points, which they have not thoroughly confidered.

For firft it is to be obferved, that this refolution against any peace without Spain is a new incident,

grafted