FROM THE SPANISH MONARCHY. I91 



turned them into heretable fiefs. But thefe feparate 

 fervants of the crown could only maintain themfelves 

 againft their lawful fovereigns by the help of their vaf- 

 fals ; and thefe mull: be purchafed again by frefh invef-. 

 titures. By crafty ufurpations and donations the clergy 

 was become powerful, and imperceptibly procured 

 themfelves a fovereign exiftence in their various epif- 

 copal fees. Thus were the Netherlands, from the ninth 

 to the fourteenth century,, rent into feveral fovereign- 

 ties, which partly did homage to the german empire, 

 and partly to the kings of the Franks. Several of 

 them, either by purohafe, marriages, legacies, or con- 

 quefh, were again united under one fovereignty; and, 

 in the fifteenth century, we find thehoufe of Burgundy 

 in pofTeffion of the greater! part of the Netherlands, 

 Philip, furnamed the good, duke of Burgundy, had 

 already, with more or lefs juftice, united eleven pro- 

 vinces under his authority ; to which Charles the bold, 

 his fon, added two others by force of arms. Thus im- 

 perceptibly arofe a new Hate in Europe, to which, for 

 being the moft fiourifhing kingdom in this part of the 

 globe, nothing was wanting but the name. Thefe 

 powerful pofTeffions rendered the princes of the Nether- 

 lands formidable neighbours to France, and tempted 

 the daring fpirit of Charles the bold to form the plan 

 of a conquer!:, which was to comprife the whole of the 

 territory from the Zuyderfee and the difemboguing of 

 the Rhine, as far as Alface. A formidable army was 

 kept in readinefs for the execution of this project, and 

 Switzerland already trembled for its liberty; but ca- 

 pricious fortune abandoned him in two dreadful battles, 



and 



