74

HISTOEY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

XIX.

The Em-peror.

on some childish distinction, a title or a cross, and would do- nothing for the common cause till his wishes were accomplished.That prince chose to fancy that he had been slighted, and wmuldnot stir till reparation had been made to him. The Duke ofBrunswick Lunenburg would not furnish a battalion for thedefence of Germany unless he was made an Elector.* TheElector of Brandenburg declared that he was as hostile as hehad ever been to France: but he had been ill used by theSpanish government; and he therefore would not suffer hissoldiers to be employed in the defence of the Spanish Nether-lands. He was willing to bear his share of the war: but it mustbe in his own way: he must have the command of a distinctarmy; and he must be stationed between the Rhine and theMeuse.** The Elector of Saxony complained that bad winterquarters had been assigned to his troops: he therefore recalledthem just when they should have been preparing to take thefield, but very coolly offered to send them back if England andHolland would give him four hundred thousand rixdollars.***

It might have been expected that at least the two chiefs ofthe House of Austria would have put forth, at this conjuncture,all their strength against the rival House of Bourbon. Un-fortunately they could not be induced to exert themselvesvigorously even for their owm preservation. They were deeplyinterested in keeping the French out of Italy. Yet they couldwith difficulty be prevailed upon to lend the smallest assistanceto the Duke of Savoy. They seemed to think it the business ofEngland and Holland to defend the passes of the Alps, and toprevent the armies of Lewis from overflowing Lombardy. Tothe Emperor indeed the war against France was a secondaryobject. His first object was the war against Turkey. He was

* William to Heinsiua, Feb. 1692.

** William to Heinsius, Jan. 1692.

.*** William to Ueinsius, Jan. 1692.