d benefices. The claims of the duchess of Orleans upon the
Palatinate were referred to the arbitration of France and the emperor;
and in the meantime the elector Palatine agreed to supply her highness
with an annuity of one hundred thousand florins. The ministers of the
protestant princes published a formal declaration against the clause
relating to religion, and afterwards solemnly protested against the
manner in which the negotiation had been conducted. Such was the issue
of a long and bloody war, which had drained England of her wealth and
people, almost entirely ruined her commerce, debauched her morals, by
encouraging venality and corruption, and entailed upon her the curse
of foreign connexions, as well as a national debt which was gradually
increased to an intolerable burden. After all the blood and treasure
which had been expended, William's ambition and revenge remained
unsatisfied. Nevertheless, he reaped the solid advantage of seeing
himself firmly established on the English throne; and the confederacy,
though not successful in every instance, accomplished their great aim
of putting a stop to the encroachments of the French monarch. They
mortified his vanity, they humbled his pride and arrogance, and
compelled him to disgorge the acquisitions which, like a robber, he had
made in violation of public faith, justice, and humanity. Had the allies
been true to one another; had they acted from genuine zeal for the
common interests of mankind; and prosecuted with vigour the plan which
was originally concerted, Louis would in a few campaigns have been
reduced to the most abject state of disgrace, despondence, and
submission; for he was destitute of true courage and magnanimity. King
William having finished this important transaction, returned to England
about the middle of November, and was received in London amidst the
acclamations of the people, who now again hailed him as their deliverer
from a war, by the continuance of which they must have been infallibly
beggared.

CHAPTER VI.

_State of Parties..... Characters of the Ministers..... The
Commons reduce the Number of standing Forces to Ten
Thousand..... They establish the Civil list; and assign
Funds for paying the National Debts..... They take
Cognisance of fraudulent Endorsements of Exchequer
Bills..... Anew East-India Company constituted by act of
parliament..... .Proceedings against a Book written by
William