that spirit of action seemed to flag,
even while her Hungarian majesty tottered on the verge of ruin. France
resolved to seize this opportunity of crushing the house of Austria.
In order to intimidate the elector of Hanover, mare-schal Mallebois was
sent with a numerous army into Westphalia; and this expedient proved
effectual. A treaty of neutrality was concluded; and the king of Great
Britain engaged to vote for the elector of Bavaria at the ensuing
election of an emperor. The design of the French court was to raise this
prince to the Imperial dignity, and furnish him with such succours as
should enable him to deprive the queen of Hungary of her hereditary
dominions.

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

A BODY OF FRENCH FORCES JOIN THE ELECTOR OF BAVARIA.

While the French minister at Vienna endeavoured to amuse the queen
with the strongest assurances of his master's friendship, a body of
five-and-thirty thousand men began their march for Germany, in order to
join the elector of Bavaria; another French army was assembled upon
the Rhine; and the count de Belleisle being provided with large sums
of money, was sent to negotiate with different electors. Having thus
secured a majority of voices, he proceeded to Munich, where he presented
the elector of Bavaria with a commission, appointing him generalissimo
of the French troops marching to his assistance; and now the treaty
of Nymphen-burgh was concluded. The French king engaged to assist
the elector with his whole power, towards raising him to the Imperial
throne: the elector promised, that after his elevation he would never
attempt to recover any of the towns or provinces of the empire which
France had conquered; that he would, in his Imperial capacity, renounce
the barrier-treaty; and agree that France should irrevocably retain
whatever places she should subdue in the Austrian Netherlands. The next
step of Belleisle was to negotiate another treaty between France and
Prussia, importing, that the elector of Bavaria should possess Bohemia,
Upper Austria, and the Tyrolese; that the king of Poland should be
gratified with Moravia and Upper Silesia; and that his Prussian majesty
should retain Lower Silesia, with the town of Neiss and the county of
Glatz. These precautions being taken, the count do Belleisle repaired to
Franck-fort, in quality of ambassador and plenipotentiary from France,
at the Imperial diet of election. It was in this city that the French
king published a decl