the young prince of Orange, whose close relationship to the
Stuarts made him an object of suspicion to the Protector. De Witt was
personally favourable to this exclusion of William III. from his
ancestral dignities, but there is no truth in the suggestion that he
prompted the action of Cromwell in this matter.

The policy of De Witt after the peace of 1654 was eminently successful.
He restored the finances of the state, and extended its commercial
supremacy in the East Indies. In 1658-59 he sustained Denmark against
Sweden, and in 1662 concluded an advantageous peace with Portugal. The
accession of Charles II. to the English throne led to the rescinding of
the Act of Seclusion; nevertheless De Witt steadily refused to allow the
prince of Orange to be appointed stadtholder or captain-general. This
led to ill-will between the English and Dutch governments, and to a
renewal of the old grievances about maritime and commercial rights, and
war broke out in 1665. The zeal, industry and courage displayed by the
grand pensionary during the course of this fiercely contested naval
struggle could scarcely have been surpassed. He himself on more than one
occasion went to sea with the fleet, and inspired all with whom he came
in contact by the example he set of calmness in danger, energy in action
and inflexible strength of will. It was due to his exertions as an
organizer and a diplomatist quite as much as to the brilliant seamanship
of Admiral de Ruyter, that the terms of the treaty of peace signed at
Breda (July 31, 1667), on the principle of _uti possidetis_, were so
honourable to the United Provinces. A still greater triumph of
diplomatic skill was the conclusion of the Triple Alliance (January 17,
1668) between the Dutch Republic, England and Sweden, which checked the
attempt of Louis XIV. to take possession of the Spanish Netherlands in
the name of his wife, the infanta Maria Theresa. The check, however, was
but temporary, and the French king only bided his time to take vengeance
for the rebuff he had suffered. Meanwhile William III. was growing to
manhood, and his numerous adherents throughout the country spared no
efforts to undermine the authority of De Witt, and secure for the young
prince of Orange the dignities and authority of his ancestors.

In 1672 Louis XIV. suddenly declared war, and invaded the United
Provinces at the head of a splendid army. Practically no resistance was
possible. The unanimous voice of the people