JAMES THE SECOND.

117

received from unquestionable sources intelligence of designswhich wereforming against his throne by his banished subjectsin Holland. Some of the exiles were cutthroats, whomnothing but the special providence of God had preventedfrom committing a foul murder; and among them was theowner of the spot which had been fixed for the butchery.“Of all men living,” said the King, “Argyle has the greatestmeans of annoying me; and of all places Holland is thatwhence a blow may be best aimed against me.” Citters andDykvelt assured His Majesty that what he had said shouldinstantly be communicated to the government which theyrepresented, and expressed a full confidence that every exer-tion would be made to satisfy him. *

The Ambassadors were justified in expressing this con-fidence. Both the Prince of Orange and the States Generalwere, at this time, most desirous that the hospitality of theircountry should not be abused for purposes of which the Eng-lish government could justly complain. James had latelyheld language which encouraged the hope that he would notpatiently submit to the ascendency of France. It seemedprobable that he would consent to form a close alliance withthe United Provinces and the House of Austria. There was,therefore, at the Hague, an extreme anxiety to avoid all thatcould give him offence. The personal interest of William wasalso on this occasion identical with the interest of his father-in-law.

But the case was one which required rapid and vigorousaction; and the nature of the Batavian institutions made suchaction almost impossible. The Union of Utrecht, rudelyformed, amidst the agonies of a revolution, for the purposeof meeting immediate exigencies, had never been deliberatelyrevised and perfected in a time of tranquillity. Every oneof the seven commonwealths which that Union had bound

* Register of the Proceedings of the Stales General, May f s . 1685 .

CHAP.

v.

1685.

Ineffec-tual at-tempts topreventArgylefromsailing.