JAMES THE SECOND.

237

and who had scarcely ever before been consulted on any graveaffair since the beginning of the reign, took the lead on thisoccasion, and seemed to have the royal ear. It was a circum-stance not less significant that no previous communication wasmade to Barillon. Both he and his master were taken by sur-prise. Lewis was much troubled, and expressed great, andnot unreasonable, anxiety as to the ulterior designs of theprince who had lately been his pensioner and vassal. Therewere strong rumours that William of Orange was busied inorganizing a great confederacy, which was to include bothbranches of the House of Austria, the United Provinces, thekingdom of Sweden, and the electorate of Brandenburg. Itnow seemed that this confederacy would have at its head theKing and Parliament of England. *

In fact, negotiations tending to such a result were actuallyopened. Spain proposed to form a close alliance with James;and he listened to the proposition with favour, though it wasevident that such an alliance would be little less than a decla-ration of war against France. But he postponed his finaldecision till after the Parliament should have reassembled.The fate of Christendom depended on the temper in whichhe might then find the Commons. If they were disposed toacquiesce in his plans of domestic government, there wouldbe nothing to prevent him from interfering with vigour andauthority in the great dispute which must soon be brought toan issue on the Continent. If they were refractory, he mustrelinquish all thought of arbitrating between contendingnations, must again implore French assistance, must againsubmit to French dictation, must sink into a potentate of thethird or fourth class, and must indemnify himself for the con-tempt with which he would be regarded abroad by triumphsover law and public opinion at home.

* Avaux Neg., Aug. A. 1685; Despatch of Citters and his colleagues,inclosing the treaty, Aug.; Lewis to Barillon, Aug. ]j}.

CHAP.

VI.

16S5.

nis

foreign

policy.