19^ DEFECTION OF THE NETHERLANDS 



^ and the frantic conqueror could neither be numbered 

 among the living or the dead.* 



Maria, the iole heirefs of Charles the bold, the 

 richer! princefs of the times, and the unhappy Helena, 

 who involved thefe countries in mifery, now drew 

 upon her the attention of the world. Two great princes, 

 Lewis the eleventh, king of France, in behalf of the 

 young dauphin his fon, and Maximilian of Auftria, 

 fon to the emperor Frederic the third, appear among 

 her fuitors. That to whom fhe mould prefent her 

 hand, would be the rnoft potent prince in Europe ; and 

 now this quarter of the world firfl began to be alarmed 

 for its ballance. Lewis, the more powerful of the two, 

 eould have feconded his pretentions by the force of 

 arms ; but the netherland nation, which difpofed of 

 the hand of its princeifes, paffed by this formidable 

 neighbour, and determined for Maximilian ; whofe 

 more diftant territories, and more limited power, had 

 not fo menacing an afpecl to their liberties. A de- 

 ceitful and unfortunate policy, which, by a lingular 

 difpenfation of heaven, only accelerated the deplorable 

 fate they intended fo induftrioufly to avoid. 



Philip the fair, the fon of Maximilian and Maria, 

 obtained with his fpanifh bride this extenfive monarchy 

 which had fhortly before been founded by Ferdinand 



* His body was long fought for without effect on the field of 

 battle ; and was at length found in a fwamp, quite naked, and fo 

 "unknowable, that numbers doubted of his death : anr! the common 

 people for five years afterwards were conftantly looking for his 

 reappearance. 



and 



