But William was fully determined to bring this mummery to a speedy close.  He would have either peace or war.  Either was, in his view, better than this intermediate state which united the disadvantages of both.  While the negotiation was pending there could be no diminution of the burdens which pressed on his people; and yet he could expect no energetic action from his allies.  If France was really disposed to conclude a treaty on fair terms, that treaty should be concluded in spite of the imbecility of the Catholic King and in spite of the selfish cunning of the Emperor.  If France was insecure, the sooner the truth was known, the sooner the farce which was acting at Ryswick was over, the sooner the people of England and Holland,—­for on them every thing depended,—­were told that they must make up their minds to great exertions and sacrifices, the better.

Pembroke and Villiers, though they had now the help of a veteran diplomatist, Sir Joseph Williamson, could do little or nothing to accelerate the proceedings of the Congress.  For, though France had promised that, whenever peace should be made, she would recognise the Prince of Orange as King of Great Britain and Ireland, she had not yet recognised him.  His ministers had therefore had no direct intercourse with Harlay, Crecy and Cailleres.  William, with the judgment and decision of a true statesman, determined to open a communication with Lewis through one of the French Marshals who commanded in the Netherlands.  Of those Marshals Villeroy was the highest in rank.  But Villeroy was weak, rash, haughty, irritable.  Such a negotiator was far more likely to embroil matters than to bring them to an amicable settlement.  Boufflers was a man of sense and temper; and fortunately he had, during the few days which he had passed at Huy after the fall of Namur, been under the care of Portland, by whom he had been treated with the greatest courtesy and kindness.  A friendship had sprung up between the prisoner and his keeper.  They were both brave soldiers, honourable gentlemen, trusty servants.  William justly thought that they were far more likely to come to an understanding than Harlay and Kaunitz even with the aid of Lilienroth.  Portland indeed had all the essential qualities of an excellent diplomatist.  In England, the people were prejudiced against him as a foreigner; his earldom, his garter, his lucrative places, his rapidly growing wealth, excited envy; his dialect was not understood; his manners were not those of the men of fashion who had been formed at Whitehall; his abilities were therefore greatly underrated; and it was the fashion to call him a blockhead, fit only to carry messages.  But, on the Continent, where he was judged without malevolence, he made a very different impression.  It is a remarkable fact that this man, who in the drawingrooms and coffeehouses of London was described as an awkward, stupid, Hogan Mogan,—­such was the phrase at that time,—­was considered at Versailles as an eminently polished courtier and an eminently expert negotiator.806 His chief recommendation however was his incorruptible integrity.  It was certain that the interests which were committed to his care would be as dear to him as his own life, and that every report which he made to his master would be literally exact.