WILLIAM THE TIIIKD.

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courier started for England with a despatch informingWilliam of what had passed, and soliciting further in-structions.

William, who was, as he had always been, his ownSecretary for Foreign Affairs, did not think it necessaryto discuss the contents of this despatch with any of hisEnglish ministers. The only person whom he consultedwas Heinsius. Portland received a kind letter warmlyapproving all that he had said in the conference, anddirecting him to declare that the English governmentsincerely wished to avert the calamities which were buttoo likely to follow the death of the King of Spain, andwould therefore be prepared to take into serious con-sideration any definite plan which His Most ChristianMajesty might think fit to suggest. “I will own to you,"William wrote to his friend, “that I am so unwilling tobe again at war during the short time which I still haveto live, that I will omit nothing that I can honestly andwith a safe conscience do for the purpose of maintainingpeace.”

William’s message was delivered by Portland to Lewisat a private audience. In a few days Pomponne andTorcy were authorised to propose a plan. They fullyadmitted that all neighbouring states were entitled todemand the strongest security against the union of theFrench and Spanish crowns. Such security should begiven. The Spanish government might be requested tochoose between the Duke of Anjou and the Duke ofMacaulay, History, IX, 9

CHAP.XXIII.j ous.