The Swedish alliance, though much contrary to the interests of England, he had contracted merely from his zeal for Protestantism;[**] and Sweden being closely connected with France, he could not hope to maintain that confederacy, in which he so much prided himself, should a rupture ensue between England and this latter kingdom.[***] * See the account of the negotiations with France and Spain by Thurloe, vol.i.p.

759.
** He proposed to Sweden a general league and confederacy of all the Protestants.

Whitlocke, p.620.Thurloe, vol.vii.
p.1.In order to judge of the maxims by which he conducted his foreign politics see, further, Thurloe, vol.iv.p.

295, 343, 443; vol.vii.p.

174.
*** Thurloe, vol.i.p.