o
sail with troops from London Bridge. He urged as his reason for
desiring to go at once, his wish to learn something at least of his
duties before the campaign began.

As the earl had already heard a rumour of the scene in the fencing
school, he made no opposition to the plan, and the next day Rupert,
accompanied by Hugh, sailed down the Thames, bound for Rotterdam.

Chapter 6: The War Of Succession.

The war which was about to commence, and which Rupert Holliday
sailed for the Hague to take part in, was one of the grandest and
most extensive struggles that ever devastated Europe, embracing as
it did the whole of the central and western nations of the
continent. In fact, with the exception of Russia, still in the
depths of barbarism, and Italy, which was then a battlefield rather
than a nation, all the states of Europe were ranged on one side or
the other.

As Charles the Second of Spain approached his end, the liveliest
interest was felt as to his succession. He had no children, and the
hopes and fears of all the continental nations were excited by the
question of the disposal of the then vast dominions of Spain. The
principal powers of Europe, dreading the consequences of this great
empire being added to the power of any one monarch, entered into a
secret treaty, which was signed at the Hague in 1698, by which it
was agreed that Spain itself should be ceded to the Electoral
Prince of Bavaria, with Flanders and the Low countries; Naples,
Sicily, Tuscany, and Guipuscoa were to fall to France; and the
Duchy of Milan to the archduke, son of the Emperor of Germany.
Holland was to gain a considerable accession of territory. England,
one of the signatories to the treaty, was to gain nothing by the
division.

The contents of this treaty leaked out, and the king of Spain,
after a consultation with Austria, who was also indignant at the
secret treaty, made a will bequeathing all his dominions to the
Elector of Bavaria. Had that prince lived, all the complications
which ensued would probably have been avoided; but he died, the 9th
February, 1699, and the whole question was thereby again opened.
Another secret treaty was made, between England, France, and
Holland, and signed on the 13th March, 1700, at the Hague. By this
treaty it was agreed that France was to receive Naples, Sicily,
Guipuscoa, and Lorraine; the Archduke Charles Spain, the Low
Countries, and the Indies; and the Spanish colonies were to be
divided be