eneral on a special mission of
condolence and congratulation. The King said that he had received
from unquestionable sources intelligence of designs which were forming
against the throne by his banished subjects in Holland. Some of the
exiles were cutthroats, whom nothing but the special providence of God
had prevented from committing a foul murder; and among them was the
owner of the spot which had been fixed for the butchery. "Of all men
living," said the King, "Argyle has the greatest means of annoying
me; and of all places Holland is that whence a blow may be best aimed
against me." The Dutch envoys assured his Majesty that what he had
said should instantly be communicated to the government which they
represented, and expressed their full confidence that every exertion
would be made to satisfy him. [344]

They were justified in expressing this confidence. Both the Prince of
Orange and the States General, were, at this time, most desirous that
the hospitality of their country should not be abused for purposes of
which the English government could justly complain. James had lately
held language which encouraged the hope that he would not patiently
submit to the ascendancy of France. It seemed probable that he would
consent to form a close alliance with the United Provinces and the House
of Austria. There was, therefore, at the Hague, an extreme anxiety to
avoid all that could give him offence. The personal interest of William
was also on this occasion identical with the interest of his father in
law.

But the case was one which required rapid and vigorous action; and the
nature of the Batavian institutions made such action almost impossible.
The Union of Utrecht, rudely formed, amidst the agonies of a revolution,
for the purpose of meeting immediate exigencies, had never been
deliberately revised and perfected in a time of tranquillity. Every one
of the seven commonwealths which that Union had bound together retained
almost all the rights of sovereignty, and asserted those rights
punctiliously against the central government. As the federal authorities
had not the means of exacting prompt obedience from the provincial
authorities, so the provincial authorities had not the means of exacting
prompt obedience from the municipal authorities. Holland alone contained
eighteen cities, each of which was, for many purposes, an independent
state, jealous of all interference from without. If the rulers of such a
city received f