he death of Charles IL, whose constitution was already
exhausted. He had been lately reduced to extremity, and his situation
was no sooner known in France than Louis detached a squadron towards
Cadiz, with orders to intercept the plate fleet, in case the king of
Spain should die before its arrival. William sent another fleet to
protect the galleons; but it arrived too late for that service, and
the nation loudly exclaimed against the tardiness of the equipment.
His catholic majesty recovered from his disorder, contrary to the
expectation of his people; but continued in such an enfeebled and
precarious state of health, that a relapse was every moment apprehended.
In the latter end of July king William embarked for Holland, on
pretence of enjoying a recess from business which was necessary to his
constitution. He was glad of an opportunity to withdraw himself for some
time from a kingdom in which he had been exposed to such opposition and
chagrin. But the real motive of his voyage was a design of treating
with the French king remote from the observation of those who might
have penetrated into the nature of his negotiation. He had appointed a
regency to govern the kingdom in his absence; and, as one of the number,
nominated the earl of Marlborough, who had regained his favour and
been constituted governor of the duke of Gloucester. At his majesty's
departure, sealed orders were left with the ministry directing that
sixteen thousand men should be retained in the service, notwithstanding
the vote of the commons by which the standing army was limited to ten
thousand. He alleged that the apprehension of troubles which might arise
at the death of king Charles induced him to transgress this limitation;
and he hoped that the new parliament would be more favourable. His
enemies, however, made a fresh handle of this step to depreciate his
character in the eyes of the people.

FIRST TREATY OF PARTITION.

Having assisted at the assembly of the states-general, and given
audience to divers ambassadors at the Hague, he repaired to his house at
Loo, attended by the earls of Essex, Portland, and Selkirk. There he was
visited by count Tallard the French minister, who had instructions to
negotiate the treaty concerning the Spanish succession. The earl of
Portland, by his majesty's order, had communicated to Secretary Vernon
the principal conditions which the French king proposed; he himself
wrote a letter to lord chancellor Somers, d