136

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

xx

Furthernegotia-tions re-lating tothe Spa-nish suc-cession.

not deter men of rank and fashion from making the joyouspilgrimage to Newmarket. Half the Dukes in the kingdomwere there. Most of the chief ministers of state swelledthe crowd; nor was the opposition unrepresented. Mon-tague stole two or three days from the Treasury , and Or-ford from the Admiralty. Godolpliin was there, lookingafter his horses and his bets, and probably went away aricher man than he came. But racing was only one of themany amusements of that festive season. On fine morn-ings there was hunting. For those who preferred hawkingchoice falcons had been brought from Holland. On rainydays the cockpit was encircled by stars and blue ribands.On Sundays William went to church in state, and the mosteminent divines of the neighbouring University of Cam-bridge preached before him. He omitted no opportunityof showing marked civility to Tallard. The Ambassadorinformed his Court that his place at table was next to theroyal arm chair, and that his health had been most gra-ciously drunk by the King.

All this time, both at Kensington and Newmarket, the■ Spanish question was the subject of constant and earnest; discussion. To trace all the windings of the negotiationwould be tedious. The general course which it took mayeasily be described. The object of William was to placethe Electoral Prince of Bavaria on the Spanish throne. Toobtain the consent of Lewis to such an arrangement seemedall but impossible; but William manoeuvred with rareskill. Though he frankly acknowledged that he preferred