CHAP. VIII. 1709. 1 Marlbo or fortresses, but recommended the most active measures for collecting a powerful force on both sides of the Peninsula, and advancing with their united mass to Madrid. "If one-half of the money spent on this campaign," said Godolphin, he, "in raising new troops, had been employed in hiring August 26, old ones that might have been of use; and you may depend upon it, the Portuguese have been too often beaten this war to do anything that may be vigorous."1 rough to July 1, and 1709. Coxe, v. 92-95. 25. During the year 1709, the splendid offer of the The govern- government of the Netherlands was again repeatedly Netherlands urged by Charles on the Duke of Marlborough, and ment of the again refused by Marlborough. constantly rejected by him, from the same noble and disinterested desire of avoiding giving umbrage to the States of Holland. He had also a very delicate and difficult part to play in mediating between the Dutch government and that of Great Britain: for while the former aimed at securing to themselves a strong barrier and large accession of territory in the Netherlands at the expense of Charles, they opposed strenuously the proposed cession of Minorca to England, as injurious to their commercial interests. Nor was there less difficulty in holding together the members of the Grand Alliance. for warlike operations; for the cabinets, as well as their subjects, were beginning to be tired of the war, and they did not feel themselves impelled by that urgent necessity which forced Louis to make such extraordinary efforts. The King of Prussia, in particular, at the close of the campaign, renewed as usual his complaints of the conduct of the Allies, and the little attention paid to his interests at the Hague; and not only threatened to withdraw his troops, but even to listen to separate overv. 91-101. tures from France. 2 Marlborough exerted himself to the utmost, and with his wonted success, to heal this alarm 2 Marlbo rough to Godolphin, Dec. 21, 1709. Coxe, ing schism. At his request, Baron Grumbkow was sent to the Hague; and a sketch of a letter containing new offers was drawn up by the English general, which was sent to Queen Anne, copied by her, and transmitted to Berlin, with many flattering assurances. This had the effect of retaining the wayward king in the alliance. CHAP. VIII. 1709. 26. federacy in and Marl advice re The total defeat of Charles XII. at Pultowa threatened to produce a defection still more alarming in the New conranks of the Grand Alliance. No sooner had this event the north, become known than a coalition was formed between the borough's northern powers of Germany with Denmark and Russia, garding it. not only to recover the territories they had lost by the King of Sweden's conquests, but to divide his whole dominions between them. The King of Denmark made preparations for invading the western provinces of Sweden. King Augustus set out from Dresden to regain his lost dominions in Poland; and the King of Prussia joined the alliance, with the view of securing to himself Pomerania as his share of the spoils of the fallen lion. Marlborough, with his usual sagacity, instantly foresaw the danger of such an alliance, not only to the general balance of power in Europe, but to his own army in particular, from the recall to which it would lead of 1 Coxe, v. some of the best veteran troops in his army. He accord- Marlboingly explained his views to the Pensionary Heinsius, Godolphin, who entirely concurred in them, and by their united 1709. efforts the threatened danger was averted.1* "If King Augustus marches for Poland, you cannot doubt its being concerted between the three kings,-so that the Queen, in my poor opinion, should be very careful of what steps she takes; for we have in this army upwards of forty thousand men which belong to these princes; and should they withdraw their troops, the houses of Brunswick and Holstein would be obliged to do the same, which are twenty thousand more. I need not say what consequence this would have for the advantage of France; but I am sure you will 98, 99. rough to Nov. 21, VIII. 1710. 27. ment of the of Gertruy April 1710. CHAP. The conferences formerly held at the Hague were renewed in the spring of 1710 at Gertruydenberg, in Holland-which became famous in history by the final Commence- rupture of the negotiations for a general peace which conferences then took place. Vehement contests ensued from the denberg, very first, not only between the plenipotentiaries on the opposite sides, but between the ministers of the allied powers themselves. Indeed, the divisions among the latter had now become so serious, as not only to threaten the continuance of the Grand Alliance, but to render abortive all hopes of peace, from the hopes they nourished in the breasts of the French ministers, to whom these divisions were fully known. The negotiations, however, still went on; and notwithstanding the decline of his influence at court, Marlborough again found himself practically involved in these attempts to bring about peace, over which, however, he had ceased to have any real control. Still exposed to the blasting imputation of seeking to prolong the war for his own private purposes, he was in reality doing his utmost to terminate it. As the negotiation with the ostensible plenipotentiaries of the different courts was at an end-though Louis still continued to make private overtures to the Dutch, in the hope of detaching them from the confederacy-Marlborough took advantage of this circumstance to endeavour to effect an accommodation. At his request the Dutch agent, Petcum, had again repaired to Paris in the end of 1709, to resume the negotiation; and the Marlborough do all you can for preventing the loss of these troops. The Pensioner has asked my opinion on this affair, which I have given him-That our first and principal care should be to oblige these princes not to recall their troops, and afterwards to concert what measures are best to be taken; but not to be hasty in taking a resolution."-Marlborough to Godolphin, Nov. 21, 1709; COXE, v. 99. CHAP. 1710. Papers contain numerous letters from him to the Duke, On the very detailing the progress of the overtures. day after Marlborough's arrival at the Hague, the plenipotentiaries made their report of the issue of the overtures; but the views of the parties were still so much at variance that it was evident no hopes of peace could be entertained. Louis was not yet sufficiently humbled to 1 Marlbosubmit to the arrogant demands of the Allies, which Earl of Sunwent to strip him of nearly all his conquests; and the Nov. 8, different powers of the confederacy were each set upon iv. 647. turning the general success of the alliance to their own 167-169. private advantage.1 1 rough to derland, 1709. Des. Coxe, v. 28. demands of Zinzendorf, on the part of Austria, insisted that not the smallest portion of the Spanish territories in Italy Rigorous should be ceded to a prince of the house of Bourbon, the Allies. and declared the resolution of his Imperial master to perish with arms in his hands, rather than submit to a partition which would lead to his inevitable ruin. King Charles expressed the same determination, and contended further for the cession of Roussillon, which had been wrested from Spain since the treaty of the Pyrenees. The Duke of Savoy, who aimed at the acquisition of Sicily from the spoils of the fallen monarch, was equally obstinate for the prosecution of the war. Godolphin, Somers, and the Dutch Pensionary, inclined to peace, and were willing to purchase it by the cession of Sicily and Sardinia to Louis; and Marlborough gave this his entire support, provided the evacuation of Spain, the great object of the war, could be secured. Louis, on his part, though he still resisted all propositions tending to make him himself dispossess his grandson of the crown of Spain, agreed to the appanage of Sicily and Sardinia for him, and promised to use all his efforts to induce Philip CHAP. VIII. 1710. 1 Note to Petcum, Aug. 10, 1710, MS. vi. 37-49. to accede to it, and in the mean time to cede four towns in Flanders as a security.* But all their efforts were in vain. The ambitious designs of Austria and Savoy prevailed over their pacific counsels; and we have the valuable authority of De Torcy, who in the former congress had accused the Duke of breaking off the negotiation, that in this year the rupture was entirely owing to the efforts of Count Zinzendorf. Marlborough, how ever, never ceased to long for a termination of hostilities, Lamberti, and took the field with a heavy heart, relieved only by the hope that one more successful campaign would give him what he so ardently desired—the rest consequent upon a general peace.1+ Coxe, v. 168, 169, 173. Although the opposite parties seemed very nearly coming to an accommodation, yet there was, in reality, a serious and irreconcilable difference between them, which rendered it impossible. This was the resistance * "Les nouveaux ordres que sa Majesté envoya à ses plenipotentiaires, les autorisaient à declarer en son nom, qu'elle feroit tous ses efforts pour persuader au Roi d'Espagne de se contenter de regner sur les îles de Sardaigne et de Sicile, et de céder pour le bien de la paix la monarchie d'Espagne et les autres états soumis à cette couronne."-DE TORCY, Mémoires, 403, edit. Petitot. "I am very sorry to tell you, that the behaviour of the French looks as if they had no other desire than that of carrying on the war. I hope God will bless this campaign, for I see nothing else that can gire us peace either at home or abroad. I am so discouraged by everything I see, that I have never, during this war, gone into the field with so heavy a heart as at this time. I own to you, that the present humour in England gives me a good deal of trouble; for I cannot see how it is possible they should mend till everything is yet worse."-Marlborough to Duchess of Marlborough, Hague, April 14, 1710; COXE, v. 179. "The chief design of France is to cause a division among the Allies. The Imperialists are very desirous of making a peace with France, upon the condition they offer of giving four cautionary towns in this country; and the States-General are positive to put an end to the war at once, by giving the Duke of Anjou a partage. I am afraid the French are not ignorant of these two opinions, by which they are the better able to amuse and cheat us. Lord Townsend and I shall be sure to follow the orders we shall receive.”—Marlborough to Godolphin, March 18, 1710; Coxe, v. 173, 174. |