and he was obliged
to gratify them in this particular. The war continued to rage in the
north. The young king of Sweden routed the Saxons upon the river Danu:
thence he marched into Courland and took possession of Mittau without
opposition; while the king of Poland retired into Lithuania. In Hungary
the French emissaries endeavoured to sow the seeds of a new revolt. They
exerted themselves with indefatigable industry in almost every court of
Christendom. They had already gained over the elector of Bavaria,
and his brother the elector of Cologn, together with the dukes of
Wolfenbuttle and Saxe-Gotha, who professed neutrality, while they levied
troops and made such preparations for war as plainly indicated that they
had received subsidies from France. Louis had also extorted a treaty of
alliance from the king of Portugal, who was personally attached to the
Austrian interest; but this weak prince was a slave to his ministers,
whom the French king had corrupted. During this summer, the French
coasts were over-awed by the combined fleets of England and Holland
under the command of sir George Rooke, who sailed down the channel
in the latter end of August, and detached vice-admiral Benbow with a
strong squadron to the West Indies. In order to deceive the French king
with regard to the destination of this fleet, king William demanded the
free use of the Spanish harbours, as if his design had been to send
a squadron to the Mediterranean; but he met with a repulse, while the
French ships were freely admitted. About this period the king
revoked his letters-patent to the commissioners of the admiralty, and
constituted the earl of Pembroke lord high-admiral of England, in order
to avoid the factions, the disputes, and divided counsels of a board.
The earl was no sooner promoted to this office than he sent captain
Loades with three frigates to Cadiz, to bring home the sea-stores and
effects belonging to the English in that place before the war should
commence; and this piece of service was successfully performed. The
French king, in order to enjoy all the advantages that could be derived
from his union with Spain, established a company to open a trade with
Mexico and Peru; and concluded a new Assiento treaty for supplying the
Spanish plantations with negroes. At the same time he sent a strong
squadron to the port of Cadiz. The French dress was introduced into the
court of Spain; and by a formal edict, the grandees of that kingdom and