474 



CHAPTER XIII. 



CHARLES ii. continued. 



THE THIRD DUTCH WAR. 



THE " honour of the flag " and the sovereignty of the sea were 

 now about to gain a shameful notoriety in connection with 

 the third Dutch war, which Charles, from the basest personal 

 motives and in the most treacherous manner, suddenly sprang 

 upon the Republic. At that time, and for long afterwards, 

 European policy turned upon the ambitious designs of 

 Louis XIV. Laying claim to the Spanish dominions, he over- 

 ran the Low Countries in 1667 with an army of 40,000 men. 

 The rapidity of the conquest and the display of formidable 

 military power filled Europe with alarm ; and the United 

 Provinces, which lay nearest the scene of danger, were thrown 

 into apprehension as to their own safety. In England popular 

 feeling was very hostile to France, and Charles, after some 

 hesitation, despatched Sir William Temple to The Hague to 

 conclude an alliance against France, which he succeeded in 

 accomplishing in a few days in January 1668, and it was 

 adhered to by Sweden. The Triple Alliance thus formed 

 was hailed with enthusiasm in England, and it abruptly and 

 effectually checked Louis in the execution of his plans. Deeply 

 mortified, the French king bent his energies and talents to 

 detach Charles from the League, in order to wreak his vengeance 

 on the Dutch Republic, and he succeeded even better than he 

 expected. Charles was deeply in debt, and the expenses of his 

 Court were heavy. His relations with the Parliament were 

 becoming strained and difficult. Mistrust was growing up 



