On the whole, however, the quarrel was
favourable to the pretensions of the young prince,
[Footnote 1: The leaders of the republicans were so called, because they
had been confined in the castle of Louvestein, whence they were discharged
on the death of the late prince of Orange.]
from the dislike with which the people viewed the interference of a foreign
potentate, or rather, as they termed him, of an usurper, in the internal
arrangements of the republic.[1]
The war[a] in which the rival crowns of France and Spain had so long
been engaged induced both Louis and Philip to pay their court to the new
protector. Alonzo de Cardenas, the Spanish ambassador, had the advantage
of being on the spot. He waited on Cromwell to present to him the
congratulations of his sovereign, and to offer to him the support of the
Spanish monarch, if he should feel desirous to rise a step higher, and
assume the style and office of king. To so flattering a message, a most
courteous answer was returned; and the ambassador proceeded to propose an
alliance between the two powers, of which the great object should be to
confine within reasonable bounds the ambition of France, which, for so
many years, had disturbed the tranquillity of Europe. This was the sole
advantage to which Philip looked; to Cromwell the benefit would be, that
France might be compelled to refuse aid and harbour to Charles Stuart and
his followers; and to contract the obligation of maintaining jointly with
Spain the protector in the government of the three kingdoms.
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