the States so, if they demanded it,) not to conclude without insertion of those articles."

... "I found Monsieur Isbrant was content with my reasons, and said he would undertake his province (of Utrecht) should be so; but Monsieur De Witt said, Holland and Zealand would not. I told them, at last, that I was sure the States would not think fit to lose the effect of the league proposed upon such a point as this, and that they intended only to have the advantage of seeing his Majesty's resolution, in answer to my letter, before they concluded, with resolutions, however, that this should not hinder at last that I foresaw many things might arise in ten days' time to break all our good intentions, and some more than I had told them, or could at present." Sir William Temple added, in terms highly characteristic,If they knew me, and how far I was to be trusted where I gave my word, I should propose an expedient to them; but being so new among them, I thought it was to no purpose. Here the English

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minister, with diffidence well assumed, made a pause, until he obtained from the Dutchmen the encouragement which he expected:" They desired me I would propose, however, and so I did which was, that we should proceed to draw up the whole project, and sign as soon as was possible; and that, in case I afterwards received his Majesty's leave, in answer of my Friday's letter, to insert those provisional articles, I would freely declare it to them, and insert them in a separate article, to be a part of the defensive league. They both

looked awhile one upon another, and, after a pause, Monsieur De Witt gave me his hand, and, after a compliment upon the confidence he had taken in my face, and in the rest of my dealing since our first commerce, told me, that, if I would promise them what I had said, en homme de bien, they would ask no further assurance of me."* Each party undertook to procure the assent of his master to the insertion of these provisional articles in the defensive league, with a confirmation of the treaty of Breda. After this difficulty well ended, the treaty proceeded quickly to a conclusion.† Temple, in the spirit of Charles's note, objected to the strength of the terms applied to the case of a failure to persuade Spain into the treaty. There he moderated, from la force et la contrainte, first to moyens plus durs, and afterwards to moyens plus efficaces.

At eleven o'clock on Monday morning the treaty was formally executed.

"After sealing," says Temple, in a passage which all historians have thought worthy to be recorded ‡, "we all embraced with much kindness and applause of my saying, upon that occasion, A Breda comme amis, ici comme frères; and Monsieur De Witt made me a most obliging compliment of having the honour, which never any other minister had before me, of drawing the States to a resolution and conclusion in five days, upon a matter of the

* P. 302.

It would seem that the Dutch deputies had prepared the projects of two treaties, upon which, and not upon that of Arlington, the discussion took place.

greatest importance, and a secours of the greatest expense they had ever engaged in; and all directly against the nature of their constitutions, which enjoined them recourse to their provinces all such occasions, and used to draw out all common deliberations to months' delay; and added upon it, that, now it was done, it looked like a miracle.

upon

"I must add these words, to do him right, in return of his compliment, that I found him as plain, as direct, and square, in the course of this business, as any man could be; though often stiff in points where he thought any advantage could accrue to his country; and have all the reason in the world to be satisfied with him: and for his industry, no man had ever more, I am sure: for these five days, at least, neither of us spent any idle hours, neither day nor night."*

* P. 303.

CHAPTER VIII.

THUS

OBSERVATIONS UPON THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

1668.

HUS was completed the Triple Alliance of the Hague*; the transaction in diplomacy, which has immortalised the name of Temple.

The treaties comprising this alliance were two. There was, first, a treaty of perpetual defensive alliance between England and Holland; and secondly, a treaty between these two powers and Swedent, which forms more peculiarly the Triple League.

The importance of this treaty, as well to general history as to the Life of Temple, and indeed, the singularity of some of its stipulations, demand here an account of its contents.

The preamble recites the labour and earnest entreaty, whereby the English and Dutch governments have induced the French King to lay down his arms, if the Spaniards would either cede to him the places which he conquered in the last

* Jan. 23. 1668, i. 344. and 351. See Appendix, C.

The Swedish minister did not sign with the others; but on the 26th he executed an engagement for his master's accession, which was completed on the 5th of May.— Dumont, vii. part i. p. 91.

campaign, or make over to him their rights in Luxemburgh (or in Franche Comté), together with Cambray and the Cambresis, Douay, Aire, St. Omer, Wynox-bergen, Furnes, and Lincken * : and it declares the agreement of the King of England and the States General, "by their joint counsels and utmost endeavours to exhort, and as much as in them lies, oblige, France and Spain to make peace upon these terms. It is then stipulated, 1st, That the two powers shall endeavour to persuade the King of France to undertake, by a treaty with those powers, to conclude peace with Spain upon one or the other of these conditions.

2. France is to be persuaded to prolong the cessation of arms to the end of May.

3. "But that the Most Christian King may have no just occasion to refuse to prolong the cessation, the two powers shall oblige themselves, by the same treaty, to take especial care that the Spaniards shall cede either the French conquests, or the equivalent."

4. In case the two powers should fail to persuade the Spaniards to consent to the terms before the end of May, and that it become necessary to use more effectual meanst to that purpose," the French shall not "move or introduce their arms into the Low Countries;" but the English and the Dutch shall make such necessary provision as shall oblige the Spaniards to accept the conditions.

* This recital is not entirely correct. The offer had been made by Louis, at the instigation of the Dutch; but England had no part in the transaction. - See D'Estrades, vi. 31. 37. 42.

+ This is the expression modified by Temple; see ante, p. 169.