1 BOOK IV. maine's, in the same manner and form as if the title of this mock sovereign had been the most valid and unquestionable. 1701. Departure sador. Startled, nevertheless, at the consequences of the rash step they had taken, M. de Torcy, in a conference held soon after with the earl of Manchester, who would no longer appear at court, endeavoured to apologize for this measure, which he professed had given him concern, as "merely complimentary; and expressed his hope that the present negotiation would terminate in a peace, which would set all right." The ambassador, in his dispatches to Mr. Vernon, says, "it is certain that M. de Torcy, as well as the rest of the ministers, was against it, and only the dauphin and madame de Maintenon, whom the queen, widow of the late king, had prevailed with, carried this point." He declares farther, that, " he knows that the king of France ordered M. de Torcy to soften this matter as much as he could"-but he acknowledges" there is no reliance upon their sincerity after what has passed. I fear," says he, "there never will be any treating with this court, without great vigor and resolution, and with sword in hand.” This opinion entirely coincided with the sentilish Ambas- ments of the king of England, who, on receiving intelligence of the death of James, and the consequent recognition of his son, sent an express to the earl of Manchester to return to England BOOK IV without taking his audience of leave. Of this 1701. the ambassador immediately apprised M. de Torcy, stating, "that the king his master, being informed that his Most Christian majesty has owned another king of Great Britain, does not believe that his honor and his interest permit him longer to keep an ambassador in France-he has therefore orders to retire." The French court discovered some symptoms of surprise at this notification; and on the same day an answer was returned by M. de Torcy, in cold and distant terms, purporting the sincere desire his Most Christian majesty always entertained to preserve the peace confirmed by the treaty of Ryswick. But in a subsequent memorial, dispersed in all the courts of Europe, the king of France takes much pains to vindicate his conduct from the imputation of violating his subsisting engagements with the king of England. He declares "that he never stipulated to refuse the title of king to the prince, on the demise of his father-that his birth entitled him to it-and that he would not obtain any other assistance from France, than what the late king James received since the treaty of Ryswick, which were merely for his subsistence and the alleviation of his misfortunes. -The generosity of his Most Christian majesty BOOK IV. Would not allow him to abandon either that 1701. prince or his family-and it is remarked in this memorial to be no new thing to give to children the titles of kingdoms which the kings their fathers have lost, without any breach of amity— Of this, history furnishes many examples-and in particular the kings of Poland, of the house of Vasa, having lost the kingdom of Sweden, were treated by France as kings of Sweden till the peace of Oliva, though at the same time France was in strict alliance with king Gustavus and queen Christina." But in the existing circumstances this labored apology produced little or no effect; and the conduct of the court of Versailles was universally regarded as openly and decidedly hostile to Great Britain. State of the Health During the whole of the summer the king of England had been deeply engaged in the numerous and complicated negotiations indispensable Precarious at the eve of a general war; and it still remained King's doubtful what part the majority of the secondary powers of Europe would take in the contest, when William embarked for England, where he arrived early in November (1701). His state of health, at no time very firm, for the last year harassed and wearied with incessant anxiety, was remarked to be not a little impaired ; and his return to England was retarded by an illness of a serious nature, from which he had partially and slowly recovered. Though sensible of the shock BOOK IV. his constitution had sustained, his activity and 1701. energy of mind seemed in no wise diminished. And knowing how much depended upon himself, and the extent of the confidence reposed in him, he was solicitous to conceal, as far as possible, his exhausted condition from the public view, till the grand projects now in contemplation were advanced to a state of maturity. But he told the earl of Portland, that he should not live to see another summer. ment of the Nation. The king found on his return to England the Resentwhole nation in a vehement ferment. The re- English cognition of the pretended prince of Wales by the French monarch, while the treaty of Ryswick was yet in force, had excited the most passionate resentment of all ranks and orders of peo ple. The perfect unanimity of the public feelings and sentiments in this country upon certain occasions, forms a distinguishing truit of the English character; and in no instance did it ever appear more strongly than the present. The conduct of the king of France was considered as exhibiting a combination of perfidy and presumption. Such an acknowledgment of the title of the abdicated house seemed little less than a declaration of perpetual war; for there was no prospect of the extinction of the exiled family, and consequently no room to suppose that France 1701. BOOK IV. would ever admit England to be governed by a rightful and lawful king. Addresses were presented from all parts, expressing in the warmest and most affectionate terms, a resolute determination to support his majesty in the defence of his just rights, in opposition to all invaders of his crown and dignity. It was the highest gratification that the king could receive, to find such a spirit prevailing in the nation, which was however very ill seconded by those who occupied the great offices of government. He had never been upon cordial terms with his present ministers. The carl of Rochester, who was accounted the chief, had proved wholly intractable and imperious. Instead of moderating the violence of his party, he was assiduous to inflame their passions and prejudices. And the king repeatedly declared, that the in which that nobleman directed his councils was the most uneasy of his life. The earl had now repaired to his government of Ireland, where he shewed himself capable of acting with temper and prudence. year So long since as the month of September, the king had written to lord Sunderland from Loo, earnestly requesting his advice in the then situation of affairs*. He expressed himself as yet un * Hardwicke State Papers, A. D. 1701. |