JAMES THE SECOND.

27

to promote the interest of Iris Cliurcli, put an end to the c haf.delusion. It was plain that, when the European crisis came, J687 _England would, if James were her master, either remaininactive or act in conjunction with France. And the Europeancrisis was drawing near. The House of Austria had, by asuccession of victories, been secured from danger on the sideof Turkey, and was no longer under the necessity of sub-mitting patiently to the encroachments and insults of Lewis.Accordingly, in July 1686, a treaty was signed at Augsburg °fby which the Princes of the Empire bound themselves closely burs,together for the purpose of mutual defence. The Kingsof Spain and Sweden were parties to this compact, the Kingof Spain as sovereign of the provinces contained in the circleof Burgundy, and the King of Sweden as Duke of Pomerania.

The confederates declared that they had no intention toattack and no wish to offend any power, but that they weredetermined to tolerate no infraction of those rights which theGermanic body held under the sanction of public law andpublic faith. They pledged themselves to stand by eachother in case of need, and fixed the amount of force whicheach member of the league was to furnish if it should benecessary to repel aggression.* The name of William didnot appear in this instrument: but all men knew that it washis work, and foresaw that he would in no long time be againthe captain of a coalition against France. Between him andthe vassal of France there could, in such circumstances, beno cordial good will. There was no open rupture, no inter-change of menaces or reproaches. But the father-in-law andthe son-in-law were separated completely and for ever.

At the very time at which the Prince was thus estranged williamfrom the English court, the causes which had hitherto pro- headduced a coolness between him and the two great sections of ° fthe English people disappeared. A large portion, perhaps oppoX-a numerical majority, of the Whigs had favoured the preten- ll<m-sions of Monmouth: but Monmouth was now no more. TheTories, on the other hand, had entertained apprehensionsthat the interests of the Anglican Church might not be safe

* The treaty will be found in the Recueil des Traitds, iv. No. 209.