suites THE CONTINUATION O F Mr Rapin de Thoyras’s HISTORY O F ENGLAND, Revolution to the Acceffion of King George II. N. T I N D A L, M. A. Rector of Alverftoke in Hampshire, and Chaplain to the Royal Hofpital at Greenwich. ILLUSTRATED' With Thirty-fix H E AD S of the K I N G S, QU EENS, and feveral Eminent Perfons; alfo with Twenty Maps and Sea-Charts. THE SECOND EDITION. VOL. II. LONDON! Printed for John and Paul Knap ton, at the Crown in Ludgate-Street. MDCCLL THE HISTORY of ENGLAND. BOOK XXVI. SECT. II. From the UNION to the End of the Reign of Queen ANNE. „« 7 ° 7 - Expe na¬ tion i of the enfuing campaign not an- faered. Hare. H E unparalleled fuccefies of the Allies, in the glorious and ever-memorable year 1706, and the many eminent misfortunes to the French King in one campaign, rai- fed great expectations from the next, and made it con¬ cluded, that the time was come, in which the perfidy, tyranny, and cruelty of that King’s long and bloody Reign were going to be repaid him with the fame meafures wherewith he had former¬ ly treated others. But the events of the enfuing campaign produced a contrary effeft, and proved very unfortunate to the Allies. The offers ofpeace, made by France, had been indeed rejected by Great-Britain and Holland , but the inclination ;;is hath been obferved) exprefied by forne per- lons to come to a treaty with the French , upon the terms offered, was thought to have raifed, in the Imperial Court, a ftrong jealoufy, that the maritime powers were tampering with France , and making terms for themfelves, to which the I 7 ° 7 * intereft of Auftria was to be facrificed. And this jealoufy was fuppofed to have put that Court upon meafures, that had a fatal influence on the campaign of this year, and to have occafioned the two mofl unfortunate events that happened during the whole war. For the conclufion of a treaty with the French , for evacuating the Mi- lanefe, without the privity of England and Hol¬ land, gave the French tin opportunity of fending immediately into Spain a great body of good vt- teran troops, to the affiftance of King Philip, whofe army had by that means the fuperiority over the Allies, and gained the battle of Almanza. And the expedition to Naples was the chief caufe of the ill fuccefs of the defign again Foulon. As to the affair of the Milanefe, the French were lofing place after place in Lombardy. Cre- T H Mi,a ' mona, Mantua , and the citadel of Milan were TuateT' the only places, that were left in their hands. Burnet. It HISTORY It was not poffible to maintain thefe long with¬ out a greater force, nor was it eafy to convey that to them. On the other hand, the reducing thofe fortrefies was like to be a work of time, which would fatigue thole troops, and would bring a great charge with it. A capitulation was therefore propofed for delivering up thofe places, and for allowing the French troops a free march into Dauphins. As loon as this was fent to Vienna , it was agreed to, without communi¬ cating it to the Allies, which gave juft caufe of offence. It was laid in excufe, that every Ge¬ neral had a power to agree to a capitulation; and confequently the Emperor, in this cafe, was not bound to ftay for the confent of the Allies. This was true, if the capitulation had been for one fingle place; but this was of the nature of a treaty, being of a greater extent. By this the French faved ten or twelve thoufand men, who mu ft have all been, in a little time, made pri- foners of war. They were veteran troops, and were fent into Spain ; the ill effects of which were quickly fent. The defign was formed for the following cam¬ paign-after this manner: The Duke of Savoy undertook to march an army into France , and to ad there, as Ihould be concerted by the Al¬ lies (i) - Some propofed the marching through Dauphine to the Rhone , and fo up to Lyons •, but, an attempt upon ‘Toulon being thought the mod important thing which could be defigned, that was determined. Marfhal de Tejfe was fent to fecure the pafies, and to cover France on that fide. Prince Lewis of Baden dying this winter little efteemed and little lamented, the Marquifs of Bareith had the command of the army on the Upper Rhine , from whom lefts was expedled-, and he was fo ill fupported, that he could do nothing. The Court of Vienna was fo fet on the redudtion of Hungary , that they of ENGLAND. Vo], IV. thought of nothing elfe. The Hungarians were very numerous, but they wanted both Officers and Dilcipline. Ragotzki had pofieffed himfelf of almoft all Tranftlvania ; and the Hungarians were fo alienated from the Emperor, that they were confulting about chufinga new King. The campaign was opened very fatally in Spain. It has been related, that in a Council of Sp.iin. war held at Valencia in February 1706-7, (at M. s. which were prefent the Earls of Peterborough , Gal- Frienc ;- way, and Rivers , and General Stanhope) it was ^ rot * ricI '- refolved to a or Council of war, unlels that refolution was “ afterwards repealed by fome fubfequent Council. “ So fenfible was every one of our being already too “ weak > that it was refolved to defire my Lord Rivers “ (who was lately arrived at Lisbon) would join us with “ the troops, that came under his command from “ England, which his Lordlhip did not long after. “ For the better execution of what had been re- “ folved for our march through Valencia and Arragon , “ proper Commiffaries and Officers were difpatched “ to provide bread and forage fufficient for the troops B « in Vol. IV quis de Montandrc'% regiment, in its march from Alicanl to join the reft, was lurprized, and al- moft all killed or taken priloners. The two re¬ giments of Sir Charles Hotbam and Colonel Sy- burg were left to garrifon that town and caftle, though very weak, and Syburg was appointed Governor, Sir Charles chufing to iollow the oj ENGLAND, army. It was the 30th of March before v/e all 1707. could join the great camp, having met crols the country with many difficult pafles, and an in¬ credible fcarcity of provifions both for men and horfes •, and above all, very cold and wet wea¬ ther, efpecially for thole that were reduced to lie in the field. The whole army under the Lord “ in all places where it was defigned the armies “ fhould pafs. I went with the Marquis das Minas 44 to the frontiers towards the latter end of March, and « we took the field the beginning of April. We ruined 44 part of the Country bordering upon the frontiers 44 of Valencia before the enemy could join their troops, 44 particularly Yecla, where they had their largeft ma- 44 gazines; and, judging it neceffary to take in the caftle 44 of Villena , to prevent the army from being matters 44 of one of the moft confiderable inlets into the King- 44 dom of Valencia , fat down before that place. But 44 it proved ftronger than was expeifted ; and, after 44 we had fpent feme days there, we had notice the “ enemy had affembled their troops at Almanza. Up- 44 on this advice a Council of war was held, where 44 it was unanimoufty refolved to fight the enemy ; 44 which we were the rather induced to, becaufe it “ it was judged impoffible to fublift upon the defenftve 44 in the Kingdom of Valencia ; for the Country had 44 already been fo much exhaufted by our winter-quar- “ ters, that there was not two days provifion to be 44 found for the army ; and we could not have been 44 able to have fubfifted there fo long as we did, but “ for the fupply we found in the enemy’s magazines in “ Yecla. Nor did we think it proper to purfue the 44 once intended march through that Kingdom and “ Arragon , left provifions fhould be wanting, leaving “ the enemy fo near, and in a condition to follow us; 44 for, though Commiffaries had been employed, there 44 was rcafon to apprehend the towns, we were to pals “ through, would (hut the gates againft us, whilft 44 we were clofely followed by the enemy, and perfe- 44 cu ted by the peafants of the country, who, grown it defperate by feeing thcmfelves abandoned, would “ naturally be up in arms in the mountains. Belides, 44 we had certain advice, that there was already a bo- “ dy of French troops, confiding of eight thoufand “ men in Spain, and upon their march to reinforce “ the enemy. Thus, as the army mutt inevitably “ have perifhed without fighting, it was thought rea- « fonable to run the hazard of a battle, wherein we tc had an equal chance to come off viaors; which «c was accordingly done two days after, on the 25th “ of April 1707, N.S. but with ill fuccefs.” The Karl of Peterborough , in anfwer to the fourth aueftion of the Committee of the Houfe of Lords, laid That feveral Councils of war were held in the “ month of January 1706-7 at Valencia about the “ time that intelligence was brought, that the forces, Brudenell, and Toby Caulfield, which were reduced a little time before the I battle of Almanza, — — j 1850 1189 15641 (1) Both thefe young Gentlemen were afterwards provided with Enfigns Commiffions in our army. M. S. (1) Bilhop Book XXVI. 1707. whofelinc was extended far beyond ours, havin'* many more fquadrons than we had in our klf and lent for Count Attalaia, who commanded in the fecond line, to bring up all the horfe (which were eleven fquadrons of Portuguefe) and draw them up fo on our Jett, as far as the center, that they might prevent the enemy’s flanking us. r hen be commanded Carpenter’s and Effex’s fquadrons to go and attack the battery over- againft our left, which did very much gall our horle. This was inftantly executed very gal¬ lantly but with ill fuccefs. Here the battle be- gan about two. The battery was placed upon a Iteep riling ground, which covered every thing behind it; lo that when the two fquadrons came up with it, the guns were in a moment drawn away by the mules that continued faftened to them and eight or ten fquadrons of their bell horle fell upon our two with incredible fury, and cut them all to pieces. Then they and the rett of their horfe attacked our Englifh and Dutch fquadrons, who maintained a very obfli- nate and bloody fight near two hours, but were at laft overpowered by their far fuperior number, and fo cut off, that not above four or five offi¬ cers, and ten or twelve private men, were left in each lquadron. The fquadron of Guifcard’s dragoons Hood their ground the longeft of any, and no wonder, for they had thirty-four Offi¬ cers in their front rank, mod of them veterans, who had ferved in all King Proliant a wars, i hey had charged three times, but, when they law their friends were gone, the ftandard was or¬ dered to be recured; after which they attacked t ree fquadrons that faced them, having the .Lords Galway and Tyrawley, and Brigadier Ctzr- f enter, at their head, of whom the Commander be gged, as they came feparately to him, that they would be pleafed to take the command of the lquadron, which they all declined. So the brave old Colonel laFabreque (whofe name ought to be mentioned with honour for his courage and conduct) having thefe three great Voluntiers with him, fell upon the three fquadrons with fo much intrepidity, that he routed them, and retired in good order from the field of battle with the hree Generals Lord Galway received, in this hit bold attack a cut over his eye (having be- iore Jolt his right hand, with which he might have parried the blow) and with fuch a W fword, as wounded his Aid de Camp in thl forehead at the fame time. The center, that is, the Englijh and Dutch, were engaged all this while, and drove the ene¬ my with great fuccefs before them. They had puffied the firlt line upon the fecond, fo that, though our left was routed, we ftill had feme hopes, in cafe the Portuguefe horfe in the right behaved well, to get the day. But our hopes were foon defeated ; for, as foon as the enemy marched up to them, and fome battalions gave them a fire, they all galloped away, and the toot ran into fome neighbouring woods upon °, ur , right, in which flight many of them fell, tho none were killed in charging. The Duke of Berwick, having nothing to fear from our right and eft ordered all his horfe to come and lultain his foot, who had been very feverelv beaten by ours, during three or four hours. I he Generals to prevent their being furrounded. 29- ANN li. ordered all the battalions to form themfelves into a hollow Iquare, which lo well anfwered the de- hgn, that the enemy could gain no advantage of them, and by that means they retired from the field of battle with little or no lofs, though dill purfued till night parted them. And, if they cou d have continued their retreat a few miles farther, the enemy would have had no great reafon to boaftof a vrftory, nor would the battle ot Almanza have been fo much talked of to fav no Worfe, as it has been in this Nation. But the lofs ol twenty-three battalions Englijh and Dutch was too great to be eafily repaired at fo great A diftance. How thefe brave men, after having fought fo gallantly tor fo many hours, and made fo glorious a retreat, could at laft come to the refolution of furrendertng to an enemy that was fome miles from them, and reckoned them quite out of his reach, is not fo eafy to be ac¬ counted for, unlefs their excufe be admitted, which was, that the foidiers, after marching nine hours without any refrelhment, and fight¬ ing about fix, could march no farther: They had fpent all their ammunition, and had not fo much as bread and water to refrefh themfelves with: They were all ftrangers to the country, and did not know of any place to retire to: Befides all this, they thought themfelves in danger of being purfued and attacked the next mining by the enemy s whole army, againft which they could not pretend to defend themfelves, being abandoned by all the horfe. Upon thefe confiderations, after a long confultation, in which were very warm debates, they came to the re- lolution of furrendering themfelves, as the French infantry had done at Blenheim, and of fendin'* to the Duke of Berwick to define honourabl? terms which were gladly and readily granted • namely, that they ffiould be prifoners of war till they could be exchanged: That they ffiould be all dilarmed but the Officers, who ffiould keep their fwords: And that they ffiould have liberty to fena for their baggage, before they marched any farther. 3 n Th m I ? uke , of Ber ^lck is laid to have been aftoniffied, and could hardly believe the Officer who brought him this welcome meffage, which did compleac his vidtory. For till then it might have been called a drawn battle, the number of the flam being reckoned very equal, our bag¬ gage fafe, and only a Portuguefe train of twenty corridor • BUt ‘ went >'- thr '* battalions, carried prifoners into France, were marks of a tnumph to all the places through which they £ ff r d f t T ? their ,0 "g and obftinate refinance, the fafety of our baggage was certainly owing - for, had the enemy detached a, thoufand men to fecure the very difficult pafs of Pont de la Gutera, through which all the Portuguefe horfe made their efcape, and the baggage after them Offi mUft 3,1 falkn int0 their bands. Two bv rh?n th / twere taken prifoners by the fall ot their horfes, affiired the Author of this account, that, when they were carried to¬ wards the town of Almanza, they found it in our hands, and above a thoufand prifoners in it, the enemy s foot being puffied far beyond it by ours Almanza was in the center of the field of battle, and the enemy’s fecond line was on both licles or the town (1). The 1 ( ’ffl OP S fTi. P iv 47S> the Confederates had about takc „ ^ Aaion 9 tyoy, IG 1707. He HISTORY the next day the Portugttefi horfe, and part of the Englifh, got into Xaliva, with the toot that guarded the baggage; and the day after to Akim, a very ftrong town on a river defended by almoft inacceffible mountains. Here our broken army affembled, and Lord Galway )0.ned it from Ohtinaute , with the dragoons that had fecured his perlon and retreat (1). From Alcira the word of the wounded, and the baggage of the Officers killed in the battle, were fent to the grove of Valencia , to be em¬ barked for Barcelona. Here a Trumpet arrived, with the (hocking news of all our infantry of ENGLAND. Vol. IV having furrendered, and feveral letters from the 170 y Officers, with the articles and the before- men¬ tioned apology for their conduft, which was not much relifhed ; for a great difference was made between the French battalions at Blenheim, and ours in the neighbourhood ol Almanza. 1 he French were l'urrounded by a victorious army m a village, and could not pretend to fight their way through it: But ours were in the open field, without any enemy near them. How¬ ever, their baggage and money were fent to them. Many of our foot lifted among the ene¬ my, defigning to come back to us as loon^ as Among the wounded and (lain, thefe were the moft remarkable: The Lord Galway was wounded in the face: Brigadier Killigrew, being wounded in the hrlt afluult, ftill kept the field, and was killed ,n a fecond charge : Lieutenant-Colonel Refer (of Major-General Harvey's horfe) Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence (of Bri¬ gadier Carpenter's regiment) Lieutcnant-Colond Dor¬ mer (of the Lord Effex's) Lieutenant-Colonel \Deloches (of Colonel Pierre's) and Lieutenant-Colonel Green lot the Lord Petirhrrough’o) were killed at the head of their refpeflive fquadrons, having behaved themfelves with extraordinary refolution and undauntednefs: And Colonel Pieree, and Mr. 0 Hara fon of the Lord Tyrawley, were wounded. Of the foot, Licutena Aufin of the Guards, Lieutenant-Colonel Mac-Neale, (of Southwell's) Lieutenant- Colonel Woollet, and Lieu¬ tenant-Colonel mthers (of Blood’s) Lieutenant-Colonel Ramfey (of Macartney's) Lieutenant-Colonel Erslm (of Lord Marl Kerr’s) were among the (lain ; and Lord Mark Kerr was wounded in the arm, and Golom.1 Clayton in the body. . , father Daniel’s account of the aaion is to this et- feft • The aaion be^an at three in the afternoon, and the 'viaory flood long doubtful. The regiment of Mayne diftinguifhed itfelf upon this occafion Mar¬ shal Berwick (hewed a great prefence of mind, and a vail capacity in the art of war, by providing remedies wherever they were wanting, and guarding againlt all inconveniences. The enemy was purfued about two leagues Thirteen battalions were made priloners in the purfuit, befides five others, which were taken in the field of battle. Six Marfhals de Camp, ten Bnga- diers, twenty Colonels, and eight hundred other Um- < cers were taken with all their artillery, and hx-fcore < colours and ftandards. Near five thoufand men were , killed on thefpot, befides the wounded, which were 1 very numerous, and, among the reft, the Lord Gal- way and the Marquis das Minas , General of the t or- tupuefe. The Conquerors loft two thoufand men, and, among others, the Marquis de Sil/ery and Monfieur de Pola/hon , Brigadiers; and, among the wounded were the Duke of Salerno , General of the Spanijh guards, who received eleven wounds with a broad fword, the Marquifes de St. Clair and de Silly , Marfhals de Camp: The Duke of Orleans , who was lately arrived from France, and was to have commanded the armies of the two Crowns, though he made all poflible hafte, after lie had heard, that the two armies were not far diltant from each other, could not come up till the aaion was over. The Marquis de Feuquieres in his Memoirs ob- ferves, that this was an aHion of the firjl fpectes, fime the two armies charged through the whole extent of their front ; and that the Confederates were mafters ot the two entire Kingdoms of Valencia and Arragon , and of all Catalonia , and were preparing to enter Few-Lajtile. «. A few days before the battle (continues the Mar- 41 quis) they had received a powerful reinforcement « from England and Holland , and were determined to « improve the time of the firft campaign. With this “ intent they palled the Xucar, and advanced near “ Almanza. The Duke of Berwick marched up to them without the leaft hefitation, and the armies “ engaged. Th cPortuguefe infantry being entirely broke in the firft charge, and our cavalry having thrown - that of the enemv into diforder we remained ab- “ folute mafters of the field of battle. The Duke: 0 “ Berwick likewife purfued with his cavalry thirteen “ of the enemy’s battalions, who were retreating in “ good order through the mountains, with an inten- .. Tion to repafs the Xucar, and retire to Valencia- » but, as the body of infantry was extremely fatigued “ and deftitute of bread, they were obliged to halt “ before they could arrive at the Xucar. This d.f- “ continuance of their march gave our infantry time “ to approach them ; and they were all made pnfo- “ ners of war. The recovery of the kingdoms of .< Valencia and Arragon was owing to the fuccefs of „ this battle •’ Dr. Hare, in a letter to a Tory-Member, p ,3, fourth Edition, tells us, “That it was owing to it ,hi reinforcement fent the Duke of Anjou alter the f evacuation of Milan, that we owed the lofs of the “ battle of Almanza, which proved fo fatal to our affairs c. on that fide. If thefe troops had not joined, we had « been fuperiorto the enemy ; and that battle had either s< not been fought, or it had been won, and Spurn with o it confidering the ill condition the Duke of Anjou s “ affairs were then in ; and the true reaftin we ven- « tured that battle was to prevent the junflion, which o we did not know, or, at leaft, did not believe, was “ made at the time we fought 1 a miftake,. we may •r think, very eafily made in Spam, when it is known, „ we owe the viflory of Ram,Etc, to the French ma¬ ts kinv the very fame miftake in Flanders, where they .s thought the Englijh had not at that tune joined the sc Confederate army, and reckoned for certain, that « the Danes at leaft neither had nor could. And « this perfuafion made them venture a battle, which o the French had fo much reafon to remember, wi.b- out wailing for a confutable1 body ot troops, that were coming to them from the Rbme, the head ol o which were actually at Namur, when Monfieur 1 , 1 - “ lerm began his march towards the Confederates. But « to ; etu ,„ it is plain the French bad not gamed the “ battle of Almanza without that reinforcement from “ Italy and even with it, though the battle was fought “ in April, and out army was in a manner ruined by « that blow, all they did that year was only to take (1) And here (fays our Author) I had the pleafureof beinn eafed of a very troublefome burden, which had much endangered my life by the imprudence of the Ot- ficers who had given me their purfesatthc head of the three’fquadrons; and very large they were, by the ma¬ nagement of Earl Rivers, who, unwilling to carry the treafure back to England, had obliged the Paymafters of the regiments to take four months lubfiltence in advance, which, it was fuid, was no frnall perquifite to his Lordfhip, upon the account of the high price gold was at in Spain. When I returned their purfes to the Officers, it was computed I had no lefs than fif¬ teen hundred pounds about me, befides fome gold watches'. So that I ftiould have been a good booty for fome defperate deferter, which the owners of the mo- nev were mote afraid of than myfeif. Manufcript ac¬ count of the war in Spain, from 1706 to 1712, by a Chaplain in the army. . . (1) Which Book XXVI. 29. ANNE. 11 1707. they found as opportunity, which indeed hun¬ dreds of them did in a very fliort time, the Va- lencians, Arragonefe , and Catalans , who were all very zealous in King Charles's intereft, aflift- ing them in their efcape and march to us. The day after the battle, the Duke of Or¬ leans came to Almanza , and took upon him the command of the enemy’s army, which, as will be related, was of fome fervice to us. What foot we had left, remained at Afcira and Xativa , and we marched all our horfe through the city of Valencia , and fome other towns, as far as Tor- tofa. The enemy followed us, but very civilly, for they generally encamped in the evening on the ground we left in the morning, till we came to the Ebro , and marched over the bridge of Tortofa , to a camp about two miles from the City, up the river. The army did not continue here long, for, on the i ith of May , the enemy appeared on the hills, and an advanced party came down into the plain, a mile from the town, where they (laid all that day in fight of our Horfe-guard. The next day their whole army came down, and, having pulhed in our Horfe- guard, encamped in a long line over-againft the town. Upon this we burnt the fuburbs on that fide the water, and manned a half- moon at the bridge-foot on the fame fide, whilft our cannon from the caftle made a continual fire on their camp. The night of the 13th, they brought down fome gabions and lodged themfelves near our half-moon; but we made a fally and de¬ frayed that work, which they foon replaced, and firing continued on both fides many days. There being no profpeft of any fuccours to en¬ able us to keep that advantageous poft, the Lord Galway , after putting a good garrifon into Tor- tofa and Gironne, and leaving the reft of the foot in Tarragona , marched up the river with the horfe, and the Duke of Orleans , at the fame time, ordered moft of his cavalry to obferve and follow us on the other fide of the Ebro. We continued for three months in marches and counter-marches, obferving one another’s mo¬ tions, our great care being to prevent the enemy pairing the Cinea , which would have been of very bad confequence to us ; for the country about Tarragona muft have fallen into their hands, unlefs we were in a condition to make a vigo¬ rous ftand, which we were not. But the Duke of Orleans proved a very pacific General for fome time, having private views, and a very extraordinary fcheme for a peace (1). Mr. Stan¬ hope , the Queen’s Envoy Extraordinary, came to our camp near the Cinea to vifit the General. During his fray the Duke of Orleans fent a let¬ ter to the Lord Galway , to defire he would fend ^707, two trufty perfons, by whom he had fome pro- pofals ot the higheft nature to make to him. Mr. Stanhope was not long in fufpenfe, but glad¬ ly accepted the offer Lord Galway made him of being one of the two, and the General’s Aid de Camp was appointed for the other (2). Thefe two Gentlemen went to the place afiigned for a Conference, which lafted fome hours, and was managed in fuch a manner, and with fo much fecrecy, that no one fufpedted any thing in either army. Lord Galway was not a little furprized at the overtures that were made, and dilpacched his Aid de Camp to the Duke of Orleans , with the fame anfwer in fubftance, General Stanhope had given him. This advantage we reaped from the Conference, that we lived fome weeks like good neighbours, the enemy on the one fide, and we on the other, of the river Cinea, and at a very fmall diftance from one another ; but not without great fatigue on both fides, for they made many motions to pafs the river, which alarmed our camp, and kept us always, chiefly in the night, upon our guard, ready to mounr, and our baggage to be loaded. Brigadier Carpenter took this opportunity to have his own lquadron, EJfex's and Guifcard’s , fent to Manrejfa, to refrelh their horfes, now almoft dead, and unfit for fervice (3). From hence we foon marched to las Borgues , where we remained fome time. About the beginning of Augujl , the enemy detached a good num¬ ber of horfe and foot for France , and the Duke of Berwick quickly followed them. On the 30th of that month, they marched from Belpuis towards Lerida (having plundered feveral vil¬ lages without fparing the Churches) and, palling the Segre , they inverted the town the next day on both fides. General Wills commanded the garrifon, with the Prince of Hejfe Darmjlat. The Duke of Berwick returned to the army, but without any forces; and it was the 21ft of September before they opened the trenches, and the 27th before they eretted their batteries. Whilft the fiege was carried on, all the forces, that could be drawn from all parts of Catalonia , the Lord Galway afiembled at las Borgues , and encamped within a few miles of Lerida , with a refolution to attempt the relief of that place. But, before this refolution could be executed, news came that the garrifon had capitulated, who marched out of Lerida , on the 2d of No¬ vember, with all the marks of honour cuftomary after a brave defence (4). In a few days, the horfe went into winter-quarters, under the com¬ mand of Major-General Carpenter (who had lately ( 1) Which fcheme (fays our Author) 1 do not think prudent to divulge. His fcheme, it is faid, was to be made King of Spain himfelf, for which he offered very advantageous terms to England. But this is only con¬ jecture. ( 2 ) A man (fays our Author) of tried capacity and integrity, who afterwards died Deputy-Governor of Guernfey. (3) Manrejfa is a line and rich town, in the moun¬ tains of Catalonia , famous for giving birth to Ignatius Loyala , founder of the order of Jefuits. The whole town is entirely devoted to that Saint, who had borne arms many years. The houfe where he was born is turned into a Nunnery, where the Inhabitants affirm, that on every JVbitfunday, when the Magiftrates and all the religious orders in the town make a proceffion to that Cloyfter, the Holy Ghoft appears, as a white dove, and perches a good while upon the crofs on the top of the Chapel. This miracle, which is managed by the Priefts, is firmly believed by thefe poor Moun¬ taineers, who are pleafed, beyond meafure, to have fo remarkable a token of the divine favour to boaft of above their countrymen. Manufcript account , &c. (4) Burnet’s account of this affair is as follows: The Duke of Orleans , being reinforced with troops after the defign upon Toulon had mifcarried, fat down before Lerida , in the end of September , with an army of thirty-thoufand men: The place was commanded by a Prince of Hejfe , who held out above forty days : After fome time, he was forced to abandon the town, and to The HISTORY of ENGLAND. Vol. IV. lately received a Com million from King Charles, appointing them to that rank) and the foot un¬ der Major-General / Fills marched to the City ot Tarragona. The Portuguefe and Dutch mar¬ ched likewil'e into their quarters, all in Catalo¬ nia, between Lerida and Barcelona. And thus ended this long and unfortunate campaign, which had been fo unfuccefsful, that the principality of Catalonia was all that remained in King Charles's obdience. The Lord Galway , Gene¬ ral Erie , and the Marquis das Minas , with three other Portuguefe Generals embarked at Barcelona for Lifbon, and Carpenter remained Comman¬ der of the Englijh. The Allies in Spain were in hopes the Por¬ tuguefe would have favoured them with a diver- fion, but were difappointed. For, on the con¬ trary, the Spaniards , under the Duke of Offuna, took Serpa and Moura , and at the fame time, the Marquis de Bay pofTelTed himfelf of the bridge of Olivenza , threatning, with the afiift- ance of the Duke of Offuna , to lay fiege to that place. The Portuguefe , being reinforced with tour Englifh regimcnts(i), began to move on their frontiers. Upon which the Marquis thought fit to lay afide his entcrprize, and, de- ftroying part of the bridge of Olivenza , retired to Badajox. The Portuguefe excufed themfelves for the little refinance, they made, by their feeblenefs, fince their befl troops were in Cata¬ lonia. Mr. Stanhope , who, befides his pod of Bri¬ gadier, had alfo the character of Envoy Ex- traordinary and Plenipotentiary, took the op- portunity of King Charles's broken affairs, to w itb King conclude with him a treaty of commerce, which Charles, would have been of great advantage to the Eng- Lamberti. lifh Nation, had that Prince remained quiet pof- feffor of the Spanifh Throne. In order to effect this, Mr. Stanhope ingratiated himfelf with the Counted ot Oropeza , a Lady of great wit, whole hufband was one of the chief Grandees of Spain , but, who having abandoned all his great employments and vaft eftate, to follow King Charles's fortune, was reduced to extreme indi¬ gence ; and therefore was the more liable to be managed by a Lady, tor whom Mr. Stanhope had obtained a conliderable prefent from the Queen. This Nobleman, who had the greateft weight in King Charles's Spanifh Council, be¬ ing gained, and appointed one of his Catholic Majefty’s Plenipotentiaries, together with the Prince of Lilchflenflein and Count de Cardona , Admiral of Arragon , a treaty was concluded and figned by them and Mr. Stanhope at Barcelona y on the ioth of July (2). After the figning of this treaty, King Charles was made lenfible, that the conceffions granted therein to the Englijh Nation were too large, and Juch, as would not eafily pafs with his own fubjetffs, in cafe he fhould ever be poffeffed ot the Spanifh Throne; and therefore it was not with to retire into the caftle ; the army fuffered much in this long fiege. When the Befieged faw how long they could hold out, they gave the Earl of Galway notice, upon which he intended to have raifed the fiege; and, if the King of Spain would have confented to his drawing, out of the other garrifons, fuch a force as might have been fpared, he undertook to raife it, which was believed might have been eafily done ; and, if he had fucceeded, it would have given a new turn to all the affairs of Spain. But Count Noytiles , who was Well pradhfed in the arts of flattery, and knew how much King Charles was alienated from the Earl of Galway , for the honeft freedom he had ufed with him, in laying before him fome errors in his condudt, let himfelf to oppofe this, apprehending that fuccefs in it would have raifed the Earl of Galway's reputation again, which had fuffered a great diminution by the adfion of Almanza: He laid, this would expofe the little army they had left them to too great a hazard, for, if the defign mifearried, it might occafion a re¬ volt of the whole principality. Thus the humours of Princes are often more regarded than their intereft; the defign of relieving Lerida was laid aiide. The French army was diminifhed a fourth part, and the long fiege had io fatigued them, that it was viftble the railing it would have been no difficult performance, but, the thoughts of that being over, Lerida capitulated in the beginning of November. ( I) Thefe four regiments, namely, Pearce , Newton , Sanies , and Stanwix , were embarked at Cork for Portu¬ gal , about the latter end of April, and arrived at Lisbon the 4th of June, confiding of two thoufand nine hun¬ dred men. Thefe were all the forces then in the Queen’s pay in that Kingdom. (2) The fubftanceof which was, “ 1. That there “ fhould be an univerfal and fincere peace between the “ Queen of Great-Britain and the King of Spain, “ their Heirs, Succeffors, and the Subjects of both * c Nations. 2. That all the treaties of peace, friend- “ fhip, confederacy, free commerce and navigation “ between both Crowns, fhould be held to be as firm- “ ly renewed and eltablifhed, by virtue of this prefent “ treaty, as if they wcre\inferted therein verbatim, “ provided they were nut contradictory to oee an¬ ther, nor any way leffen the force of thefe prefent articles: And that the Royal Ccdulas or Patents, which contain divers privileges granted by Philip the Fourth, confirmed by the treaty of May {1 1667, and all other grants formerly made by any King of Spain, fhould have the fame force and effect with this prefent treaty. 3. That all the Subjects on both fides, who had been made prifoners by either, whether in America , or any where clfe, fhould be reftored, and let at liberty, as fpeedily as poffiblc, without charge or ranfom. 4. That all merchan¬ dize and goods, which the Subjects of Great-Bri¬ tain might bring and import into the Dominions of Spain, for which any Cujloms under the name of Confumption, or other tolls ufed to be demanded, fhould not be obliged to pay the faid tolls till fix months after the unlading, or fale and delivery of the faid goods. 5. That the Subjects of Great- Britain might bring and import into the Dominions of Spain all forts of goods, wares, manufactures and fruits, the produce of the Dominions of Mo¬ rocco 1; nor fhould any greater toll be demanded for the fame than ufual. 6. That books of rate, commonly called Fueros, containing an exact ac¬ count of the cuftoms agreed on by the Commiffio- ners from the Queen of Great-Britain and the King of Spain, fhould be adjudged and eltablifhed within twelve months after the figning of this treaty, and be publifhed through all the Spanifh Dominions. Nor fhould the Britijh Subjects be obliged to pay any greater duties than what is therein let down ; and for all other goods not mentioned in thefe ta¬ bles, the rate of (even per cent, fhould be demand¬ ed upon the credit of the inftrument, declaring the charge and prizes of the merchandize and goods, which fhould be exhibited by the Merchant or Fa¬ ctor, confirmed by witnefles on oath. 7. That all goods taken as prize by fhips of war, fet out cither by the Queen or private Subjects of Great-Bri¬ tain, fhould, without any difference, be efteemed as merchandize and goods of the produce of the Britijh iflands. 8. That the Queen of Great-Bri¬ tain and the King of Spain fhould confirm and ra¬ tify thefe articles within ten weeks.” To this treaty Book XXVI. 29. A 1707. w i t ^ out reluctance, and merely in compliance with the neceffity of his affairs, that he con¬ firmed and ratified the articles of it on the 9th of January 1707-8, fix months after they had been concluded and figned. The perfon, who was intrufted to carry this important treaty to London , having embarked for Barcelona on board a linall vefiel for Genoa, that vefiel was unlukily taken by a French frigate. The Exprefs, as is utual in fuch cafes, threw his mail over-board •, but it being taken up by fome divers, was tranf- mitted to the Marquis de Ford at Verfallies, who took care to fend privately a copy of the treaty to the States-General, in order to excite their jealoufy of the Englijh , who were endea¬ vouring by it to engrofs the trade of the Weft- Indies (1). Affairs of I be affairs of the Upper Rhine , this campaign, Germany, were attended with no greater fuccefs to the ck. Confederates than thofe of Spain. For the Gentian forces were fo inconfiderable in their numbers, and fo ill provided, as not to be able to {land a fudden irruption of the enemy. Mar- fhal de Villars, who had with great diligence and fecrecy afiembled his army early in Alfatia , re- folved to pafs the Rhine , and committed the execution of his defign to the Marquis de Vi- N N £. vans and the Count de Broglio. To this end* * he caufed a brigde of boats to be laid over an arm of the Rhine , and, having landed a great number of Grenadiers on the Iffand over-againff: Newhourgb the Count de Broglio advanced to the Germans, and attacked them with confiderable fuccefs. After that Marfhal de Villars, May 22d, advanced to the lines of Buhl with forty fquadrons and ten battalions ; and in his march intirely defeated the Germans advanced guard of horfe. On the 23d, at break of day, a fog made it difficult to difcover whether the Ger¬ mans, whofe tents were (landing, and who fired fome cannon-fhot, continued behind their in- trenchments: But, as foon as it was cleared up, it appeared, that they had abandoned them, for fear of being attacked in the rear, having notice, that the whole body, commanded by the Mar¬ quis de Vivans and the Count de Broglio had pafied the Rhine ; fo, at five in the morning, Marfhal de Villars entered, without lofs, thofe lines, which had been efteemed the rampart of Germany, and in which he found a great many pieces of cannon, and vaft quantities of ammu¬ nition and provifions. The fame day he ad¬ vanced to Raftadt, took pofieffion of the caftle belonging to the Princefs of Baden, and prepared to *3 iyoy. was annexed a fecret and mod important article, im¬ porting, “ 1 hat the Queen of Great-Britain and the “ King of Spain being defirous to knit the ties of the “ friendfhip and alliance now concluded in fuch a “ manner, as that the mutual advantages of it might ‘‘ redound fo vilibly to the benefit of the Subjects of “ both Crowns, that their common interefts might ‘‘ cement an eternal and indiftoluble Union between “ them ; and confidering, that the moft effectual and ‘‘ proper means to this end would be to form a Com¬ pany of commerce to the Indies, whereby thefe vail and rich Provinces of the Dominions of his ‘‘ Catholic Majefty would inable the Monarchies of Great-Britain and Spain to make fuch difpofitions of force, as fhould, by curbing their enemies, fe¬ ll cuie to their Subjects an univerfal and Jailing tran- “ quillity: It was therefore agreed, that fuch a Com¬ pany of commerce fhould be formed, confilling of the fubje&s of Great-Britain and Spain, in the Domi- *; ™ ons ol the Crown of Spain, in the Indies. But, “ becaufe it was not poflible, at prefent, to enter into * t *" e particulars of fuch a fettlement, becaufe the tc Duke of Anjou was, at this time, pofl'efled of 44 thofe Provinces of Spain, which are the principal * c feats of trade, it was referved to fettle the form of ** tbe Company of commerce to the Indies, till tc his Catholic Majelly fhould be podefied of the ten fhips, offi ve a $ utons each or more , or fewer fhips, provi- ded their whole burden did not exceed in all five thoufand tons; in which they fhould be at liberty to tran(port, Tell, and traffick for all the mcrchan- iNo. 52. VOL. IV. “ dizes and commodities, which the Spanijh SubjeSs “ were permitted to tranfport and traffick for; pro- vided, that they pay all the Royal duties, and that jj e f aid ten ^'P s (fioold be regiftered in the port of .. fuch other P orc of Spain, as his Ca¬ tholic Majefty fhould appoint, fetting out from fuch | port to fail to the Indies, and giving an obligation, that “ om the Mies they fhould return to the fame port in Spain, without touching before at any o- * . er port of Spain, Great-Britan, or France, except in cafe of being forced to do fo by ftorm. That his Catholic Majefty would likewife permit, that the laid ten fhips of trade be accompanied by fuch a number of Britifh fhips of war, as fhould be necef- fary for their greater protection and fecurity, pro- “ Vlded > tha t, on board the faid fhips of war, there “ might not be loaded any kind of merchandize : His “ Catholic Majefty declaring likewife, that he would ‘ not “j 1 *® to be P aid > or demand any indulto’s, or any other kind of donative, on account of the trade of the “ ? ,d contenting himfelf barely with the punflual || latisfachon of the Royal duties. And the Queen of Great-Britain offered and promifed on her part “ that the faid fhips of war fhould, both in going to “ and in re turnmg from the Indies, take under their conv °y fuch flll P s belonging to his Catholic Majefty, ^turning the fame to the perfons, to whom they fhould be configned. That it being evident to all “ men, that the forces, with which the Crown of ‘ trance had difturbed Europe, had been furmfhed and fupplied by the great treafures it had drawn from the Spanifh Dominions in the Indies, by the fraudu- tc lent introduction of their commodities, and their “ trade in thofe Countries ; it was therefore agreed, ‘ tbat ffom this time forward, for ever all French “ mm > |= c ; n S S “ b j"as of France, (hould be infirelv excluded, as well out of the faid Company of com¬ merce, as out of all other kind of trade, within the Dominions of the King of Spain, obliging them- f<:lves ncvcr t0 confent, by any treaty, public or “ private, to any matter, which fhould be repugnant to this exclufion of the fubje&s of France.” (1) Dr. Swift means this treaty in his ConduSi of the Allies and of the late MiniJIry, p. 38, fifth Edition, in the following paflage : “ Our trade with Spain was referred the fame way : But this they will pretend to be of no confequence, becaufe that Kingdom « was to be under the Houfe of Aufhia; and we had alread y m ad e a treaty with King Charles. I D a have 1 + > 7 ° 7 - June 6. N. S. The HISTORY of ENGL A N D. Vol. to follow the Germans with all poffible expediti¬ on. The Marlhal having proceeded fuccefsfully thus far, continued four days at Radftadt, wait¬ ing for his waggons and artillery, and to give neceffary directions and, on the 28th, marched with his main army, and incamped at Etlingen , where he found a confiderable quantity ot pro- vifions. The lame day, the Marquis de Vivans, whom the Marlhal had fent out with fifteen hundred horfe on the road of Pforizheirn, hav¬ ing information, that a body of German horfe were coming towards him, advanced to meet them, who, at his approach, ported themfelves behind a rivulet ; but he charged them fo vi- goroufly, that they were broke and intirely de¬ feated, a hundred and fifty of them being kil¬ led, eighty made prifoners, particularly a Ma¬ jor of Count Merci’s regiment, who command¬ ed them, and Count de Berio , together with all their officers, and above a hundred and fifty horfes were taken. The Germans not being able to Hand their ground, Marfhal de Villars ad- lhal afterwards did fome execution on the rear of the Imperial army, who thought it proper tore- tire towards Hailbron. The Marfhal de Pillars had certainly greater defigns in view, no lei's than rertonng the Ele¬ ctor ot Bavaria to his Dominions. But, having been obliged to fend confiderable detachments towards Provence in France , he durft not ven¬ ture further, nor undertakeany confiderable fiege. While the Empire was thus expofed, all men’s eyes turned toward the Elector ot Hanover , as the only perfon that could recover their affairs out of thofe extremities, into which they were brought. The Emperor preffed him to accept of the fupreme command. This was feconded by all the Allies, but moft earneftly by the Queen and the States. The EleCtor ul'ed all the precaution that the embarking in fuch an affair required, and he had fuch affurances ofafliftance, from the Princes and Circles, as he thought might be depended upon ; fo he undertook the command. His firft care was to rcrtore military vanced to Pforizheirn , and there halted to wait difcipline, which had been very little confidered for a convoy of bread and meal from fort Louis -, and, on the 31ft, marched before with the horfe of the right wing, and all the dragoons, to fol¬ low the Germans , and oblerve their motions •, and, on the firft of June , advanced within two leagues of Stutgard , where he made and had his own demands. The contributions of the Duchy of Wirtemberg were regulated, at two millions and two hundred thoufand livres, payable in three months ; thofe of the little Imperial City of Etlingen on the Neckar , at one million and one hundred thoufand, and fix hundred thou¬ fand livres were demanded of the City of Baden. In Stutgard they found a magazine of four thou¬ fand Sacks of meal, befides ten thoufand furnilh- ed by the Regency •, and Marfhal de Villars , not being able to come up with the flying enemy, marched towards Schorndorf, which he cauled to be inverted by the Marquis de Fremont. The next day, the Marlhal came before the place with his whole army •, but though the town was pretty ftrong, both by its fortifications and ad¬ vantageous fituation •, yet, the inhabitants refu- fing to affift in the defence of it, the garrifon, to the number of about five hundred men, fur- rendered the place, upon condition of their be¬ ing conduced to the Imperial army. The French found in the place two mortars, fifty-four pieces of cannon, and a confiderable quantity of am¬ munition and provifions. After this fuccefs, the Marfhal being informed, that three thoufand Germans , commanded by General Janus , had intrenched themfelves near Lorch, very advanta- geoufly, he attacked, and totally defeated them. Janus made a brave refidance ; but, being over¬ powered, his troops were broke, and purfued almoft as far as Gemund, with the lofs of about fix hundred men killed, and as many taken prifoners, and among the latter General Janus himfelf, and twenty-feven Officers. The Mar- orlubmitted to for fome years part and he efta blilhed it with fuch impartial feverity, that the face of affairs was foon changed. But the army was too weak, and the feafon too far {pent to en¬ ter on great defigns. One confiderable action happened, which very much railed the reputa¬ tion of his conduct. Being informed, that the French had feven regiments of horfe and dra¬ goons incamped near Orenburg, under the com¬ mand of the Marquis de Vivans , he detached fourteen hundred men, and one hundred grena¬ diers under Count Merci, to furprize the enemy. That General executed his orders with great conduct ; and attacked the Marquis, Sept. 24, by break of day, and intirely defeated them, killing feveral Officers, and eight hundred pri¬ vate men. As the French knew nothing of the march of the Germans , they had appointed that day for a forage, which facilitated their defeat. The General made his efcape with no fmall difficulty, and his men finding themfelves clofely purfued, quitted their horfes, and made their retreat through the hedges j fo that the Germans brought away four ftandards, a hundred and fifty prifoners, and near thirteen hundred horfes, having had only two Lieutenants and thirty private men killed. Soon after, Marlhal de Vil¬ lars took the opportunity to repafs the Rhine , by the way of fort Louis and fort Kehl -, and the Elector ot Hanover feparated his army, and dif- pofed them fo conveniently in their winter-quar¬ ters, that they might affemble in forty-eight hours upon any emergent occafion. The Duke of Marlborough, who had made fo ^ ^ _ glorious a campaign the lart fummer, merited 0 f u X r\- this year the public attention, chiefly by his im- borough portant negotiations. Upon his arrival at the S°. a t0 ,!je Plague, he had a Conference with the Deputies of ^eden the States-General , wherein, among other par- April 17, , ticulars, he told them, “ That the troubles of N. S. “ Saxony ■ have indeed heard of a treaty made by Mr. Stan - : hope with that Prince for fettling our commerce : with Spain. But, whatever it were, there wasano- t ther between us and Holland, which went hand in ‘ hand with it, I mean that of Barrier , wherein a 1 claufe was inferted, by which all advantages propo- “ fed for Britain are to be in common with Holland The Dodtor’s aflertion in this paftage is a very ground- lefs one ; for the treaty of commerce with Spain and the Barrier treaty could not go hand in hand, fince the former was figned on the 10th otjuly 1707, and the other on the 29th otOfiober 1709. (1) This Book XXVL 29. ANNE. 1707. “ Saxony occafioning a great diftraftion in the “ Empire, which brought infinite prejudice to “ the common caufe ; the Queen, his Miftrefs, “ had thought fit to fend him thither, to pay “ a compliment to the King of Sweden , and en- “ deavour to engage him to remove the juft “ jealoufies, which his long ftay in the heart of “ Germany gave to fome of the high Allies. “ for which purpofe he had the neceflary powers “ from her Majefty, and defired the fame from “ the States.” The Penfionary having acquaint¬ ed the States of Holland and JVeJl-FriJ,eland with the neceflity of the Duke of Marlborough's jour¬ ney, the matter was thought of fo great impor¬ tance to the common caufe, that they readily concurred in thofe meafures, and the Duke im- RS. 1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 20 mediately fet our for Leipfick by the way of Ha¬ nover. Monfieur Auverquerque, Velt-Marfhal of the States forces, having had feveral Conferences with the Duke of Marlborough, fet out the fame day for BruJJels , in order to aflemble the Con¬ federate troops, and obferve the French , who began to be in motion about Namur. The Court of England, it feems, had been advifed by the Elector of Hanover to fend the Duke of Marlborough to the King of Sweden. It was thought this would pleafe him much, if it had no other effecft. That King ftill remained with his army in Saxony , to the great oppreflion of that Country, and to the terror of the Court of Vienna , who were apprehenfive of his quar¬ relling with them. His defigns were kept fo fecret, that they could not be penetrated, which Character made the Allies veI 7 uneafy. The King of of the Sweden was very remarkable on many accounts. King of He affetfted a negledt of his perfon, both in Burnet!’ cloaths ' lodging and diet all was fimple, even to meannefs nay, he did not fo much as allow a decent cleanlinefs : He appeared to have a real fenfe of Religion, and a zeal for it, but it was not much enlightened : He feemed to have no notion of public liberty •, but thought Princes ought to keep their promifes religioufly, and to obferve their treaties punctually: He rendered 1707, himfclf very acceptable to his army, by coming fo near their way of living, and by his readinefs to expofe his own perfon, and to reward fervices done him : He had little tendernels in his na¬ ture, and was a fierce enemy, too rough and too favage: he looked on foreign Minifters as fpies by their character, and treated them according¬ ly ; for he kept himfelf on great referves with them, nor would he fuffer them to come near him, except when they had a particular meflage to deliver. He ufed his own Minifters rather as inftruments to execute his orders, than as Coun- fellors. Whilft the King of Sweden was in Saxony , the Czar over-ran Poland , fo that King Slani/laus was forced to fly into Saxony to the King of Sweden , for protection. Both he and his Queen ftaid there all the winter of 1706, and a great part of this fummer. The Czar prefled the Polanders to proceed to the election of another King, but could not prevail with them. It was therefore generally believed, that they were re- folved to come to a treaty with King Stanijlaus, and to fettle the quiet of the Kingdom, exhauft- ed by a long and deftru&ive war. The Czar tried, if it were poflible to come to a peace with the King of Svieden , and made great offers to that purpofe ; but that King was implacable, and feemed refolved to pull him down as he had done King Angujlus. To difcover this King’s intentions was the Robin- chief aim of the Duke of Marlborough's jour- fan's tetter ney to Alt-Ranfiad , about two German leagues t0 t ^ e from Leipfick , where the King of Sweden had ulf his head-quarters. The Duke was accompanied chefter. by Mr. Robinfon, the Queen’s Envoy Extraordi¬ nary, and Monfieur Cronenburg , the Dutch Mi¬ nifies Being informed on the way, that the King could not give him an audience till the next day, the Duke thought fit to go direClly to Count Piper's quarters (1). The Count made ample proteftations, how acceptable his coming would (1) This is the account of Mr. Robinfon , afterwards Bifhop of London , in his letter from Leipfick , of May 1707, to the Earl of Manchejier. But Monf. Voltaire, in his Life of Charles XII. King of Sweden, affirms, “ That, as loon as the Duke of Marlborough arrived “ at Leipfick, where King Charles then was, he made “ his application privately, not to Count Piper , the “ firft Minifter, but to Baron Gortz , who began to “ have a fhare in the King’s confidence with Count “ Piper. He told Gortz, that the defign of the Al- “ lies was, in a fhort time, to propofe to the King of “ Sweden his being once more Mediator between “ them and France. His motives for this were his “ hopes of difcovering the King’s intentions by Gortz 's “ anfwer, and becaufe he would much rather have “ had Charles for an Arbitrator, than an enemy.” Mr. Lediard, in his Life of the Duke of Marlborough, Vol. I. p. 457. fecond Edition, obferves, That this piece of private Hiftory of Monfieur Voltaire's is men¬ tioned by no other Hiftorian, and feems very impro¬ bable. “ I was, fays he, that night in the City of “ Leipfick, and the next morning in the camp ; but “ no I'uch thing ever came to my knowledge. Is it “ probable, that fo remarkable an incident Ihould “ efcape the knowledge of every one, but Monfieur “ Voltaire's Informant ? Were not the eyes of every “ one on the Duke at his arrival ? Could this inter- “ view be fo privately managed, as not to come to “ Count Piper's knowledge ? Would not this have “ raifed a jealoufy in him, that muft have put a flop “ to, or very much intangled, the whole negotiation ? “ And can it be believed, that fo great a Statefman, “ as the Duke was, would have thrown fuch a ftum- “ bling-block in his own way, as this would have “ been, at the very beginning of his treaty ? Baron “ Gortz began indeed at this time to rife in the King’b “ efteem and confidence ; but he was not yet arrived “ to that height in his favour to be a rival to Piper, “ or to dare to enter into a fecret negotiation without “ his knowledge.” Monfieur de la Motraye, in his Remarks on Voltaire, carries the matter yet farther againft that Writer, and fays, “ That Gortz was out “ of the queftion, he being then Grand-Marfhal of “ the Bilhop of Lubeck, Adminiftrator of the Duchy “ of Holflein , and was certainly then'very little known tc to the King of Siueden.” But it is evident from Mr. Robinfon 's letter to the Earl of Manchefer above- cited, that the Duke had a Conference, on the 28th in the afternoon, with Baron Gortz, as well as with Count Piper-, though he limits that Conference with the Baron to the affairs of Holflein, in which, he fays, things ivere concerted to mutual content. Monfieur de la Motraye mentions a remarkable incident upon the authority of a Gentleman, who was in the coach with the Duke, when he went to the audience he had de¬ manded of Count Piper: “ The Duke, fays he, co- “ ming to the gate of Count Piper's quarters precife- “ ly at the time appointed, fent in his meffage, but “ was anfwered the Count was bufy. The Duke “ waited a good half hour before he came down j “ but 16 1707. The HISTORY of would be to the King, his Mailer, and appoint¬ ed eleven of the clock the next morning lor his repairing to the head-quarters, when his Majefty came from Church. The Duke went thence to the quarters prepared lor him about an Englijh mile and a half from the King’s; and the next morning, at the time appointed, went to wait upon his Majefty. The Intendant of the Court and other Officers received him, and in the An¬ ti-chamber Count Piper, who conduced him in¬ to the Cabinet, where the King was, with feve- ral Senators, Generals, and other Officers about him. The Duke made a fhort compliment in Englifh (i), which was interpreted by Mr. Ro- binfon , as the King’s anfwer was by Count Pi¬ per (2). Afterwards the Duke fpoke in French , which the King underflood, but did not fpeak ; and the convention was general for about an hour, when his Majefty took the Duke with him to dinner, placing him on his right hand, and Count Piper on his left. After dinner the Duke returned with the King to the audience-room, which, after a little while, was voided by the reft of the Company ; and then the Duke fpoke at large, his Majefty giving great attention to what was faid, with all appearances of much content. Count Piper , who, together with Mr. Harmelin , ftaid with the King, could not refrain from fhedding fome tears at the very pathetic expreffions, which the Duke ufed to af- fure the King of her Majefty’s friendfhip, and, on the King’s part, made fuitable returns (3). Thofe difcourfes, and others about military mat¬ ters, took up an hour and a half, when his Ma¬ jefty went again to Church. Afterwards the Duke made a vifit to the Countefs Piper , and had then a conference with the Count, and from thence went to fee the Veldt-Marfhal Rein/child’s Lady. On the 28th he went to Leipfick , to wait on King Augujlus , with whom he had a ENGLAND. Vol. IV private Conference of about half an hour, and then returned to Count Piper's quarters, where he dined. He had that afternoon a Conference with Count Piper and Baron Gortz about the af¬ fairs of Holjlein , in which things were concerted to mutual confent. In the evening he fupped with Velt-Maifhal Reinfchild. On the 29th he was vifited by Count Piper , Veldt-Marfhal Ogil- vy, and many others; and, after having dined with Baron Gortz, had his audience of leave of the King of Sweden. Before it was ended, no¬ tice was given, that King Stanijlaus was in the Anti chamber ; whereupon the Duke faying, that he had no objection againft his coming in, the King of Sweden went and brought him. Some civilities palled between that King and the Duke, who foon after took his leave, and went to Leipfick , and thence, without making any flay, proceeded on his journey to Berlin. On the 30th of April, he arrived at Charlotlenburg, the King of Prujfia having fent Monfieur Grumkaw to defire him to pafs that way. He fupped that night with the King, and was lodged in the apartment belonging to the Margrave. The next day, be¬ ing Sunday, he accompanied the King to Divine Service, and Monfieur Lenfant , the Author of the Hijiories of the Councils of Bafil and Con- ftance, by his Majefty’s particular order, preach¬ ed in French on that occafion. On the 2d of May the Duke left Charlottenburg, in order to proceed towards Hanover , where he arrived on the 3d ; and, the day following, had a private Conference with the Eledlor. In the afternoon he fet out for the Hague, where he arrived on the 8th, having received the higheft marks of honour and efteem in the feveral Courts, through which he had paffed fince his departure from thence. The next day, the Duke was in Conference with the Deputies of the States-General, to whom 1707. “ but he no fo'oner faw him at the gate ready to re- tc ceive him, than he came out of his coach, and, xcule my not anfwering it foonc r. I have ("ten by other letters from Vienna of later d..te, how obftinatdy they purl'ue the expedition againft Naples , notwithftanding all the r^refentations, that have been made to difliiade them from it. A jealous humour pre¬ vails fo much at that Court, that they will not feriouf- ly weigh and confider their own intereft, fo that the beft arguments are thrown away. I expe l loon to hear, whether our misiortune in Spain has made fuch impreflion, as it ought, with them. The Earl of Manchefler received on the x 8th of May 1707, a note from Mr. Hamel Briyrinx, Envoy from the States-General at Vienna , to let his Excellency know, that he 1 m Prin f l is an extract of a letter, wherein it wasfaid, among other things, that the detachment for Naples was great enough to maintain a fuperiority, which the Envoy (aid would by no means pleafe his Mafters at the Hague. “ It was “ then pretty plain, fays Mr. Cole, that the Germans “ had no great defire for Spain, but wanted only Italy; “ and that they had not the expedition of Toulon at “ heart, fearing the aggrandizing the Duke of Savoy , “ whilft they fpread reports, as if that Prince was not “ to be trufted, and prepared to lay the blame on him, “ if, according to their wilh, the expedition fhould “ not fucceed.” The Earl of Manchefter to the Lord-Treafurcr Go- dolphin. Vienna, May 18, 1707; I was unwilling to leave this place without acquaint¬ ing your Lordfhip with the fituation of affairs here, where there are fo many Minifters, each oppofing the other, that every thing, how reafonable foever the matter is, meets with delays, and fometimes fatal ones. This has made the Emperor fling himfelf more than ever entirely into the hands of the Prince of Salms , who is fo troubled with the gout, that the Emperor comes to him. The whole bufinefs of the reft is to bring their own aefigns about through his means. I do not find one of them, but what wxis extremelv bent on the expedition to Naples , and fpeaking very doubtfully of that of France , and of the difficulties it would meet with ; not but they all agree, it ought to be attempted ; and the Emperor did allure me he had given the neceflary orders to Prince Eugene. I find, that the fublifting of this army is (till one of the argu¬ ments againft that expedition, which makes me fear, that they do not intend, or cannot contribute much towards it. The Earl of Sunderland to the Earl of Manchefter. JVhiteball, May 9, 1707, O. S. I have the honour of your Lordfhip’s from Vienna of the 4th of May, N. S. and I am forry to find that Court continues lo obftinate in their wrong meafures; but Book XXVI. 1707. with them wherever they went, were fomewhat corrected, fo that they became more tolerable (1). As Toon as a Government could be fettled at. Naples, they undertook the fiege of Gaeta , which went on at firrt very (lowly •, fothat thofe with¬ in feemed to apprehend nothing fo much as the want of provifions, upon which they fent the few (hips they had to Sicily, to bring them fup- plies. When thefe were fent away, the Impe- rialifts, knowing what a rich boory was lodged in the place, prefled it very hard, and in con- clufion, took it by dorm, and fo were mafters of all the wealth that was in it. The garrifon retired into the caftle, but they were foon after forced to lurrender, and were all made prifoners of war. It was p r opofed to follow this fuccefs, with an attempt upon Sicily, but it was noteafy to fupply Naples with bread ; nor was the En- glijh fleet at liberty to aflifl them •, for they were ordered to lie on the coaft of Spain, and to wait there for orders; which, when they arrived, required them to carry the Marquifs das Minas , and the Earl of Galway,mi\\ the forces of Portu¬ gal, to Lijbon : The thoughts of attempting Si¬ cily) were therefore laid afide for this time; tho* the Sicilians were know.i to be in a very good difpofition to entertain it. A fmall force was fent from Naples to feize on thofe places, which 25 Jay on the coaft of Tufcany, and belonged to the 1707. Crown of Spain ; fome of which were foon taken; but Porto Longone and Port Hercole made a better refiftance. In the month oi june, the defign upon ‘Toulon 7 'be defign began to appear. The Queen and the States- "P on 'f°' x ‘ General fent a itrong fleet thither commanded by on -' ^7,s ’ Sir Cloudejly Shovel. Prince Eugene had the command of the Imperial army, which was to fecond the Duke of Savoy in this undertaking, upon the fuccefs of which the final conclufion of the wai depended. The army was not fo ftrong, as it was intended it fhould have been, on ac¬ count of the detachment, which was fent to Na¬ ples , and the flopping in Germany of eight or ten thoufand recruits, that had been promifed to be fent to reinforce Prince Eugene ; for the Empe¬ ror was under fuch apprehenfions of a rupture with Sweden, that he pretended it wasabfolute- ly necefiary, for his own fafety, to keep a good force at home. Prince Eugene had likewife or¬ ders not to expofe his troops too much; by which means they were the lefs ferviceable (2 Not- withftanding thefe difappointments, the Duke of Savoy , after he had for fome weeks covered his true deflgn by a feint upon Dauphine , by which he drew moft of the French troops to that fide; as foon as he heard, that the Confede¬ rate 29. ANN E. but I will (fill hope, that the news of the fatal blow we have had in Spain, will bring them to their fenfes, fo as not to divert their arms from the only part, where we may hope to retrieve that misfortune ; at lead they mud never hope to have the Queen’s confent to it; and this your Lordfl ip will let them know in the flronged manner, if you are yet there. The Dutch Envoy to the Earl of Mancheder. Vienna, May 28, 1707. I hope, that this will find your Excellency happily arrived at Turin. The Count of Rechteren arrived here the 25th indant; and though we have, according to our orders newly received from their High Mightinef- fes, again oppofed the expedition of Naples , and even proteded againd the b.*d confequences, which it may have, efpecially after the melancholy news of a defeat in Spain -, we have not been able to obtain, that this expedition be countermanded ; thefe Miniders make ufe of the fame reafons, which they alledged, when your Excellency was here; which makes me wi(h the more to hear from your Excellency, how you have found things in Italy, and if the conje&ures of this Court are true in their utmod extent; and, above all, whether there be fo many troops, as they perfuade them- felves here; whether they apply themfelves with vigour to the expedition againd France ; whether they be ready; and agreed in regard to the magazines; when the padage of the mountains will be prafticable; and whether the expedition to Naples will caufe no prejudice to the other. They had even given out, on the part of this Court, in England and Holland, that your Excellency was en¬ tirely come into the fame fentiments with them in this affair, which their High-Mightinedes can fcarce be¬ lieve, whild they have feen the contrary in my advi¬ ces; and I do again this day judice to your Excellency upon that in writing to my Maders. Toe Earl of Mancheder to the Earl of Sunderland. Turin , June 8, 1707. The Envoy of Spain predes for five thoufand men to be fent to Spain ; but fince the detachment for Na¬ ples does proceed according to the pofitive order from the Court of Vienna to Prince Eugene , I cannot fee, N°. 53. Vol. IV. that any can be fpared from this fide; neither do I think, that they will be inclined to fend their troops, unlefs it be from Naples, if they fucceed, as they ima¬ gine they (hall. I received here your Lordfhip’s of May 6, 0 . S as alfo one of the fame date from Mr. Se¬ cretary Harley. I am fatisfied, that, had I been at Vienna, nothing could have prevailed with them to alter their defign of Naples.-^Thc Duke of Savoy is not in the lead pleafed with the Imperial Court, of which I (hall foon acquaint you more fully. ( 1) The Earl of Manchejler, in a letter to the Earl of Sunderland, dated at Venice, Augujl 19, 1707, writes thus: “ I fear the Germans begin to make the mod of “ the Kingdom of Naples. They laid a duty on fruit “ and herbs, which fo incenfed the people at Naples , “ that there has been a tumult, which might have had “ worfe confequences, but was prevented by revoking “ it.” And Mr. Cardonnel, in a letter to Mr. Cole from the camp at Helchin, dated Odtober 2, 1707, and printed in the Memoirs of the latter, has thefe words: “ It looks as if the Germans were refolved to ruin the ** Kingdom of Naples, as they have done the Eledlo- “ rate of Bavaria, but in all likelihood they may re- “ pent it, when it is too late. It is a miferable Coun- “ cil governs that Court of Vienna. In the mean time “ we are fufferers; for, indead of affiding the King “ of Spain, as the revenues of Milan and Naples ought “ certainly to do, they do not dick to fay, it is none “ of their concern; and that we mud carry on the “ war in Spain for our own intered. God preferve us “ hereafter from fuch Allies.” (2) Mr. Cole informs us in his Memoirs, page 457, that the Earl of Manchejler told him. That he had been with the Duke of Savoy, when Prince Eugene made many difficulties about the expedition againd Toulon, and the Duke of Savoy anfwered them all. When Prince Eugene was gone, his Royal Highnefs asked my Lord Manchejler, what he thought now of Prince Eugene. His Excellency anfwered, that he wae forry to hear him make fo many difficulties. Then the Duke faid, I will tell you, my Lord, what 1 think of him and all the Germans. I believe they have no great mind to take Toulon, and their whole mind is fet on Italy. But his Excellency attributed this to the warmth of that Prince, and believed Prince Eugene would do his bed. G (■) On ENGLAND, Vol. IV. HISTORY of rate fleet was come upon the Coaft, he made a quick march through ways, that were thought impradfticable, to the river Var, where the French had call up fuch works, that it was reckoned thefe muft have flopped his palling the river and they would have done it effectually, if fome fhips had not been fent in from the fleet into the mouth of the river, to attack thefe works where there was no defence, becaufe no attack from that fide was apprehended. By this means the works were abandoned, and fo the paflage over the river was free. Upon this the Duke of Savoy entered Pro¬ vence , and made all the hafte he could towards \Toulon . The artillery and ammunition were on board the fleet, and were to be landed near the place, fo the march of the army was as little en¬ cumbered as was poflible ; yet it was impoflible to advance with much hafte in an enemy’s coun¬ try, where the provifions were either deftroyed or carried into fortified places, which, though they might have ealily been taken, yet no time was to be loft in executing the great defign ; fo this retarded the march for fome days: Yet, in cbnclufion, they came before the place, and were quickly mailers of fome of the eminencies, that commanded it. At their firft coming, they might have poflefied themfelves of another called St Anne' s Hill, if Prince Eugene had executed the Duke of Savoy’s orders : He did it not, which raifed a high difcontent •, but he excufed himfelf, by fhewing the orders he had received, not to expofe the Emperor’s troops (i). Some days were loft by the roughnels of the fea, which hindered the fhips from landing the artil¬ lery and ammunition. In the mean while, the troops of France were ordered to march from all parts of Toulon: The garrifon within was very ftrong •, the forces that were on their march to Spain, to profecute the victory of Almanza, were countermanded •, and fo great a part of Pil¬ lars's army was called away, that lie could not make any further progrefs in Germany. So that a great force was, from all hands, marching to rail'e this fiege and it was declared, in the. Court of France , that the Duke of Burgundy would go and lead on the army. The Duke ol Savoy loft no time, but continued cannonading the place, while the fleet came up to bombard it: They attacked the two forts, that command¬ ed the entrance into the mole with fuch fury, that they made themfelves mailers of them ; but one of them was afterwards blown up. Thofe within the town were not idle: They funk fome fhips, in the entrance into the mole, and fired furioufly at the fleet, but did them little harm: They beat the Duke of Savoy out of one of his molt important pofts, which was long defended by a gallant Prince of Saxe-Gotha who, not being fupported in time, was cut to pieces. This poll was afterwards regained, and the fleet continued for fome days to bombard the place, with lo good fuccefs, that a great num¬ ber of houfes were deftroyed, feveral magazines blown up, and eight men of war either burnt or rendered unferviceable (2). But, in the end, the Duke of Savoy , whofe ftrength had never been above thirty thoufand men, feeing fo great a force marching towards him, who might inter¬ cept his paflage, and fo deftroy his whole a my, and there being no hope of carrying the place, found it neceflary to march home in time. Ac¬ cordingly, having ordered all the artillery and the fick and wounded to be embarked, he de¬ camped in the night, retiring in very good or¬ der the fame way he came, without being the leaft infulted by the enemy (3). After his re¬ turn into Piedmont, he concluded the campaign on that fide, with the recovery of his important place of Suza, which the French had left unpro¬ vided. (1) On the 3d of Augujl , Mr. J. Chetwind wrote the following letter from the camp there to the Earl of Manchefler , printed in Cole’s Memoirs, p. 465 : The fituation of affairs here is fomewhat changed fince my laft, but not fo much as I could wifh, or indeed as I did expert. This is the 9th day, that our army has been before Toulon-, and all that we have done has been to oblige the enemies to quit us fome fmall pofts, where we defign to make our batteries; but their camp before the town is in the fame place where it was when we came, though molt people will have it, that they might ealily have been forced away. I do not know, my Lord, what is the meaning of it, but things do not go as they ought to do. Of our great men, I only find his Royal Highncfs hearty. I fear, if w’c do not make better hafte, that we fhall pafs our time but ill, fince we are informed, that the enemies are gathering together from all parts to drive us from hence. (2) Namely, Lc Triumphant of eighty-two guns ; Le Sceptre , ninety ; Lc Vainqueur , eighty-fix ; Le Nep¬ tune, feventy-lix ; L’Invincible, feventy ; Le Serieux , fixty; Le Latirier, fixty ; and Le Sage, fifty-four. (3) The progrefs of the fiege will appear from the following Journal of Mr. Chetwynd, dated at the camp at la Va/etta, Augujl 20, 1707, and printed in Mr. Cole's Memoirs, p. 470: The 14th. My laft to you was this day, fince when I hear, that fome deferters from Toulon bring word, that the enemies have given out powder and ball to every loldier ; upon which orders are now given to re.nlorce the guard upon the left of our line with three battalions, the right having already a referve of four battalions ordered for fome days before. The 15th the enemies, as the deferters had reported, marched all night to gain the hill above our camp upon our right, and that with fo much diligence and fecrecy, that they feized on our advanced guards, and began their true attack on our right by break of day, after having made their fignal for the attack by firing three guns, making at the fame time a falfe attack on our left. Our troops on the right received the enemies very well at firft ; but being over-powered by their fuperiority, and the fituation of the ground being fuch, that the re¬ ferve could not immediately come up, they were obli¬ ged to give way, and retire into the other pofts on the right, which they did in very good order, till the Prince of Saxe-Gotha, who was General of the day, was killed ; and this, though they were cxpofed to the fire of the place, and of three fhips, which did not ceafe firing during the whole adlion. The enemies endeavoured to pufh their good fortune farther; but, after a difpute of about two hours, at a little cafine in the middle of our communication, they were obliged to flop in the poll of St. Catherine, for fear the troops, which his Royal Highnefs and Prince Eugene, who ar¬ rived a little after the adfion was begun, had ordered to march to the top of the hills, fhould cut off the retreat to the camp; which they had great reafon to apprehend, fince they could not but perceive our whole army in motion, which our Generals had ordered fo, in view of a general adtion, upon the news we had received the day before, that the enemies had above fixty battalions in their camp. But things went no further, and tolvards the evening the enemies aban¬ doned all they had taken, after having fet fire to our batteries, and ruined all the works we had made on the right,—A detachment of horfe we had in the valley Book XXVI. 29. A 1707. vided, and which furrendered to him at difcre- 0£t. 4. tion •, by which means he fhut up that inlet in- to his own Dominions, and opened himfelf a free pafiage into Daupbfae. Remark on Thus ended the expedition into Provence, on the expedi- t h e C y es 0 f all Europe were fixed, and tion into J Provence. N N if which failed in the execution, chiefly by the Em- 1707* peror’s means (1). England and the States General performed all that was expedled of them ; nor was the Duke of Savoy wanting on his part, though many fufpedted him as backward, or at leaft cold in the undertaking. But though this great valley of Ardennes on the right of our camp, With a fmall body of foot, was attacked by the enemies at the fame time, but came off without any lofs, Colonel Phcjfercom , who commanded them, having been kil¬ led the day before, as he went to reconnoitre the ene¬ my. We do not know the lofs of the enemy in the attacks of our works on the right, but to judge by our own lofs, and the refinance our troops made at firft, methinks it cannot be lefs than two thoufand or fifteen hundred men. We had between five and fix hundred men killed, wounded, or taken prifoners. Befides the Prince of Saxe-Gotha , we had a Lieutenant Colonel of the Hejfians , a Major of the Palatines, with feveral Captains and Under Officers killed ; Ge¬ neral Efelt, a Palatine Brigadier, with feveral Under- Officers wounded ; a Piedmontefe , and a Saxe-Gotha Colonel taken prifoners, with one or two Captains; befides which, we loft two fmall field-pieces, which our gunner had forgot to carry off from the poll: of St. Catherine. At night we began to bombard the town with fix mortars, which immediately fet fire in two places. This evening the Fort St. Margarite , the outermoft near to the fea, furrendered at difcretiort. The garrifjn was compofed of a Lieutenant-Colonel, and three other Officers, with one hundred and thirty foldiers. We found in the place fome provifions, and fourteen pieces of iron cannon, four of which were forty-eight pounders. By the reddition of this caftle our (hips can come near the fhore, arid the artille¬ ry, &c. which was landed at Rieres , may be reim- barked here with much more eafe, which was ordered to be done to-morrow, the fiege of Tendon not being practicable, becaufe of the reinforcements the enemies have received fince we are here, and by reafon of the works they have had time to make. The 16th our batteries on the left continued to play againft the town and (hips, as alfo againft Fort Louis, where the breach is near made. Our bombardiers flung feveral bombs laft night, and all this day* into the town with very good fuccefs; but no fhip has yet been touched, as we know of. We continue to embark our artillery, &c. The Admiral commanded (hips to attack Fort Louis, but the wind was fo ftrong, that our fhips could do little fervice. However they lay fo near, that one of our fhips had thirty men killed or wounded. This day the wind blew fo hard, that the Royal Anne loft one of her malts, was drove from her anchor, and ran foul upon a Dutch man of war, who was fomewhat damaged. The 17th drummers and trumpeters were fent to and from Toulon, to inquire after feveral Offi¬ cers and foldiers; and the enemies did defire to ex¬ change their prifoners made at St. Margarite , to which his Royal Highnefs and Prince Eugene do con- fent. The 18th the greateft part of the artillery, which is not on batteries, and almoft all the powder, balls, &c. are re-imbarked. Our bombs deftroy the town of Toulon very much ; but none have yet been flung into the bafin among the fhips. The breach of Fort Louis is practicable, and orders will be gi¬ ven to attack it to-night. All our fick and wound¬ ed are ordered to Rieres, where they are to be em¬ barked to be carried to Nice, Oneglia , and Final. The 19th, laft night we took the Fort St. Louis, the enemies having abandoned it as our grenadiers mount¬ ed the breach. By the fall of this place, I believe our bomb-veffels may come to bombard the town and fhips, which is the only hurt we can now pretend to do here. Mr. Cbetivynd likewife, in a letter to the Earl of Mancbejler, dated Augujl 20, writes thus : All things have been fo managed with us, that I had not fpirit nor courage enough to write to you, knowing how much you had the good fuccefs of our defigns at heart. Our feene is not yet finifhed, for we are to fteal away as we can, and as foon as we can. Now every thing is in the greateft confufion, and 1 fear will continue fo till we are got on the other fide of the Ear. Sir Cloudcjly Shovel wrote the following letter to the Earl of Manchejler , dated on board the Ajfociat’on be¬ fore Toulon, Augujl f-, 1707. My Lord, After all the hopes we had entertained of fuccefs in our enterprize on Toulon, the enemy, on the in- ftant, made a vigorous falley with a great number of troops, and attacked our works, and took great part of them, and kept them all that day, and deftroyed what they had poffeffion of, and drew off four or five of our cannon into the town. The killed and wound¬ ed on our fide is faid to be about one thoufand, and among the flain is the Prince of Saxe-Gotha ; and fince that time it has not been thought proper to carry on the fiege ; the enemies, as our army fay, growing eve- day more numerous, and our troops continually de¬ ferring. And the ~j his Royal Highnefs the Duke of Savoy lent to me to embark the fick and wounded, and to take off the cannon, mortars, ammunition, provifions, isfe. in order to raife the liege, which is now only a cannonading and bombardment, and we are getting every thing a-board, his Royal Highnefs having informed me, he defigns to decamp with the army to¬ morrow morning. Before the enemies had made this falley, and deftro)ed our works, they were fo frighten*- ed, that they funk twenty of their fhips; ten of them or more we reckon to be three-deck fhips; and we be¬ lieve fome of them can never be recovered. The Duke has deiired me to accompany him back with the fleet, which I defign to do as far as the Ear. P. S. Augujl 4-j, about ten in the morning. Our fea-bombs laft night fired very briskly, and be¬ yond any expedition about midnight fet the town on fire, which burnt very furioufly all night, and is not yet extinguifhed ; and, in the opinion of every body here, it is fomewhat more than dweliing-houfes, that are on fire, we fuppofe ftore-houfes. We cannot fee the town or bafin by reafon of a hill between us. Our army being decamped, they have brought guns and mortars againft our bomb-veflels, and have obliged them to come off, being pretty much fhattered by the enemy's fliot. Mr. Chetwynd concludes his account of the fiege in a lettdr to the Earl of Manchejler , dated from the camp at Sealin, September 16, 1707, with thefe words: The difficulties we met with at Toulon were very great, but they were made much more fo by the indolence and ill will of fome of our Generals. If we had pufhed upon our arrival, there was a very great proba¬ bility of fuccefs; but, as things went, it was almoft impradficable to do any good three or four days after our arrival; and I do not know the reafons, why we did not then fet to bombarding the town and fhips, inftead of amufing ourfelves about what we were fure could do us no good. (1) Dr. Swift, in his conduSl of the Allies and of the late Minijlry. p. 27, fifth Edition, afferts. That one inftance of the Emperor’s indifference, or rather dif- like of the common caufe, was the bufinefs of Toulon - y his defign, fays he, was indeed difeovered here at home 28 I 7 ° 7 - The HISTORY great defign failed in the main point, it proved of great fervice to the Allies, and was attended with many good confequences, which, perhaps, ought to balance the expence : For, beftdes the great damage, which the French fuftained in their (hipping; the blowing up of feveral ma¬ gazines ; the burning of above one hundred and fixty houfes in Toulon ; and the devaluations com¬ mitted in Provence by both armies, to the value of thirty millions of French livres ; this enter- prize, which had ftruck a greater terror through¬ out all France , than had been known there during the whole reign of Lewis XIV, brought home by a perfon, who every body knows to be the creature of a certain Great Man , at lead as much no¬ ted for his skill in gaming as in politics, upon the bafe mercenary end of getting money by wagers, which was then fo common a prafiice, that I remember a Gentleman in employment, who, having thecuriofity to inquire how wagers went upon the Exchange , found fome people deep in the fecret, to have been concern¬ ed in that kind of traffic, as appeared bv premiums named lor towns, which no body but thofe behind the curtain could fufpedt. However, although this project had gotten wind by fo fcandalous a proceeding, jet Toulon might probably have been taken, il the Empe¬ ror had nut thought fit, in that very jun&uie, to de¬ tach twelve or fifteen thoufand men to feize Naples , as an enterprize, that was more his private and imme¬ diate intereft. But it was manifeft, that his Imperial Majefty had no mind to fee Toulon in pofleffion of the Allies; for even with thefe difeouragements, the at¬ tempt might ha\e yet fucceeded, if Prince Eugene had not thought fit to oppofe it, which cannot be imputed to his own judgment, but to fome politic reafons of his Court. 'The Duke ol Savoy was for attacking the enemy as foon as our army arrived ; but, when the Marfhal de Theffe\ trot ps were all come up, to pre¬ tent’ to beliege the place, in the condition we were at that time, was a farce and a jeft. Had Toulon fallen then into our hand>, the maritime power of France vvould in a great mealure have been deftroy’d. But Dr. Hart, in his piece, mtitled, The Allies and the late Minijlry defended again/} France, and the pre- fent friends ofE ranee, Pait III. p. 13, gives a particu¬ lar anfwer to this paffage ol Dr. Swift , and obferves, That every propolition advanced by him is falfe in whole, or in part. Firft, he tells us the defion was difeovered here by a creature of a certain Great Man lay¬ ing wagers about the taking of it. This is a very odd preamble to a proof, that Toulon was loft by the Em¬ peror’s fault, to tell us, that probably it was not ; the defign was difeovered here. But thefe inconfiftencies are nothing with this Writer, if he can but bring in one or two certain Great Men, whole reputation ftands cruelly in his way, and will do fo, let him employ never 1b many pens to blacken them. Now', in anfwer to this, I affirm, that this defign w'as not difeovered by the creature of this Great Man , but by the Clerk of another great man, who was then Secretary of State. But to go on ; our Author argues, that the Emperor had no mind Toulon fhould be taken, becaufe he de¬ tached twelve thouliind men to feize Naples, as he in- genioufly expreftes it. That the Emperor did, at that time, make an expedition to Naples, is true; but was it, becaufe he had no mind Toulon Ihould be taken ? No, it was becaufe thofe, who would make a fcandalous peace now, w'ere attempting the fame thing then ; and he was afraid, the intereft of his family in Italy would have been facrificed to other views. This was the true reafon of that expedition, and this Writer knows it was, which makes his virulence and malice the more unpardonable. As things were managed, it is plain, there w'as a want of troops. But, when the Emperor was prefted to put off" that expedition, he did not want an anfwer. He told them, that without thofe twelve thoufand men, they had as many, as they had before defired ; and indeed as many, as would be able to find of ENGLAND. Vol. IV. this further advantage to the Common Caufe, 1707. that it gave great diverfion to the enemy’s forces, whereby their army in Germany was weakened the Duke of Orleans's progreis after the battle of Almanza retarded in Spain ■, the fuc- couring of Naples prevented ; and the conquefts of the Allies in Italy fecured. Admiral Shovel , who was not a little chagrin’d Str at the milcarriage of an expedition, upon which shovel^ he had let his heart; having afligned Sir Tho- drowned, mas Dilkes a fquadron of thirteen fail for the oft - z 2. Mediterranean fervice, failed from Gibraltar with of the reft of the fleet, containing fifteen men of Ur °^’ war fubfiftance, and that more would be but a burden to them : That, while they were employed in the re¬ duction of Toulon , the other troops fhould, by great marches, haften to Naples , and then return to join them lor any further Cervices. But, it is manfejl, fays our Author, that the Emperor had no mind we Jhould take Toulon, becaufe the attempt might haveJucceeded, if Prince Eugene had not thought ft to oppofe it. 'This is falfe again. The Duke of Savoy had the chief com¬ mand in that expedition, and not Prince Eugene. What was the true reafon they delay’d fo long the beginning of that march, I cannot pretend to lay; but, when they had pjfled the Far, I defire this Author would tell us, who it was, that propofed the holding a Coun¬ cil of war on board the fleet, and did hold one, to con- fidcr, whether they fhould proceed diredtly to Toulon , or beliege Antibes ? A man muft be a very ill judge in affairs, that could not from that ftep fee, what was likely to come of the expedition. Again, to clear up this affair, I would fain know, who governed the mo¬ tions of the army, till they came before the place ; for it is incredible, how fo (mail an army could be fo many days making 10 Ihort a march. And, if they had ad¬ vanced with hall the fpeed that they retired, it is cer¬ tain they might have invelted the place, before the works the enemy were making would have been finilh- ed, and before any conhderable number of the enemy’s troops were arived. But the flownefs of our motions made our arrival too late in both thele refpedls. And the enemy’s troops were in poiTeffion of the high ground about the place, before we came in light ol it. And therefore, if the Duke of Savoy did not feern willing to attack the enemy, that is not very hard to account for ; nor might it be any fault in Prince Eugene, that he did not think it reafonable. But, belides, there was particular realon at that time to think, the Prince might have ftridt orders from Vienna , to be very cau¬ tious how he ex poled that body of troops; and that was the neighbourhood of the King of Sweden, who was pleafed to pick many quarrels with the Empeior ; and nobody could tell where his demands would flop, or what w'ould fatisfy him. I his gave very gieat um¬ brage to the Imperial G urt; and, had they loft that body of troops before Toulon, they had reafon to fear they Ihould foon feel the want of them. This was certainly a good reafon tor not venturing a batt.e to difadvantage, where the leaft misfortune would have been the ruin of them all. But, had that expedition either begun ten days fooner, or the march from the Var had been made in lefs time, the defign would have fuccecded without the hazard of a battle. There is more might be laid upon this fubjedl; but I am not in fo much liafte to difeover fome truths, as our Author is to tell the moft pernicious lyes. Upon this inftance then I muft obferve, 1. That the expedition to Naples was not the eftldt of any difregard to the Allies, Out offelfprefervation. 2. That Prince Eugene’a declining a battle was not the caule of our ill fuccefs a^ainft Toulon. 3. That it is no way chargeable on the late Mmiftry, who formed the defign with the greateft fc- crecy, and made the moft effectual preparations for it, and did all they could to put off"the expedition to Ap¬ ples, and remove every difficult, that might hinder the fuccefs of it. And, laftly. That it was not difeo¬ vered fir ft by any creature’of the late Mmiftry, nor had Book XXVI. 29. A 1707. war of the line, five of a lefs rank, and one yatch (1). On the 2 2d of Ottober, he had nine¬ ty fathom water in the Soundings , and brought the fleet to, and lay by from twelve till about fix in the afternoon, the weather being hazy, but then, the wind coming up fredi at South South-weft, he made the fignal for failing. The fleet fleered Eaft 'by North, fuppofing they had the Channel open, when fome of the fhips were upon the rocks to the Weft ward of Scilly, before they were aware, about eight of the clock at night, and made a fignal of diftrefs. The Af¬ fectation , in which Sir Cloudefy was, ftruck upon the rocks called 'The Bi/hop and his Clerks , and was loft, with all the men in it-, as were alfo the Eagle and the Romney. The Firebrand was like- wife dafhed on the rocks, and founder’d ; but the Captain and four and twenty of his men laved themfclves in the boat. Captain Sanfom, who commanded the Phoenix , being driven on the rocks within the Ifland, faved all his men, but was forced to run his Ihip a-lhore. The Royal Anne was faved by a great prefence of mind, both in Sir George Byng , and his officers and men, who, in a minute’s time, fet her top- fails, one ol the rocks not being a fhip’s length to the leeward of her, and the other, on which Sir Clondejly Shovel was loft, as near as in a breach of the fea. Nor had the Lord Durjley, Commander of the St. George , a lefs ft range efcape for his (hip was dafhed on the fame ri.lge of rocks with the AJfociation , and the fame wave, which he faw beat out all Sir Cloudefly Shovel’s lights, fet his own fhip a-float. Sir Cloudefy Shovel’s body being, the next day after this misfortune, taken up by fome country- fellows, was ft ripped and buried in the fand; but, on enquiry made by the boats of the Salisbury and Antelope , it was difcovered where he was hid; had France any fufpicion, till the expedition was a&ual- ly begun, as any one may fee, that will look back into the hiftory of that affair. Dr. Hare , in the Poffript to the Fourth Part of the Allies and the late Minijlry de¬ fended, p. 78, 79, obferves, That in the paffage above- citcd, where he mentions, That the delign on Toulon was difcovered by the Clerk of a Great Man, who was then Secretary of State, he did not mean Gregg, who was afterwards hanged, but another perfon then alive; nor did he mean a direct difeovery made to France , but fuch a one, as was occafioned by laying wagers; a folly, which the perfon hinted at has paid dearly for. A late Writer pretends to have difcovered the fecret fprings of raifing the liege of Toulon, and the peaceable retreat of the Duke of Savoy’s army. « France (fays he) perceiving the lofs of Toulon would be a mortal blow, ordered Buzenval (her Minifter to the King of Sweden then in Saxony) to try to engage that victorious Prince to declare againft the Emperor. Count Mo- naferols, the Bavarian Minifter, had the fame orders. Thefe two Minifters gained Count Piper, who had a great afeendant over his Mafter. The King of Swe¬ den, who had given repeated affurances not°to under¬ take any thing againft the Allies, was very much em- barrafted. He fought a quarrel with the Emperor, and to that end made exorbitant demands, accompanied with threatnings to invade Silefia and Bohemia. The Emperor laid the ftorm by agreeing to all his demands. Whdft the treaty was negotiating, the fiege of Toulon was undertaken. The King of Sweden, who wilhed to hinder the lofs of that place, caufed it to be infinu- ated with great fecrefy to the Duke of Savoy, not to per lift in the fiege of Toulon, becaufe, if it was taken, he fhould be obliged to invade the Emperor’s Heredita- N°. 53. Vol.IV. N N E. from whence being taken otlt, and brought on board the Salijbury into Plymouth on the 28th of October, it was afterwards carried to London, and decently interred in JVefiminJler Abbey, where a monument was eredled in honour of the Ad¬ miral, who was one of the greateft Sea-Com¬ manders of that, or any other age; of un¬ daunted courage and refolution, and, at the fame time eminent for his generofity, franknefs, and integrity. He was the artificer of his own for¬ tune; and, by his perfonal merit alone, from the loweft beginnings, raifed himfelf to a'moft the higheft ftation in the navy. He was born in the County of Suffolk of mean part-m-ge, and, having an early inclination to the fea, became a cabin-boy to Sir Ckrifiopher Mingo, and, im¬ proving daily by quick progrefles in the know¬ ledge of naval affairs, was i'oon advanced to the rank of Lieutenant; and gave early proofs of his valour on the 14th of January 1673-4, when, being Lieutenant to Sir John Narborougb, Ad¬ miral of the Englifh fleet in the Mediterranean , he burnt in the harbour, and under the caftle of Tripoli, four men of war belonging to the Pi¬ rates of that place, which forced them to accept fuch conditions of peace, as Sir John Narborougb was pleafed to prelcribe them. He diftinguilfi- ed himfelf in the firft fea-engagement, that hap¬ pened after the Revolution, in Bantry-Bay, on the iff of May 1689, for which he received the honour of Knighthood, being the Com¬ mander of the Edgar. He was foon after ad¬ vanced to the poft of a Flag-officer ; and upon, the breaking out of the war in 1702, he was lent, with a fquadron of about twenty men of war to join the grand fleet, and bring home the Galleons, and ocher rich booty, taken by the Duke of Ormond and Sir George Rooke at Vigo. The next year he was appointed to command in chief ry Dominions. The Duke of Savoy, who had a great penetration and forefight, refle&ed, that the King of Sweden was ftedfaft in his refulutr >ns, and that his fuc- ceffes had given him that ftedfaftnefs; that, after all, the matter was only the taking of a town, which per¬ haps it would be difficult to keep, and would be de- molilhed. Thefe weighty confiderations induced the Duke, by an unparallel’d generofity, to prefer the in- terefts of the common caufe to the advantage of taking Toulon. Hence the fecret reafon of raifing the fiege/ This circumftance is faid to be warranted by the Duke himfelf, who was pleafed to declare it to fome perfons of diftindion. French continuation of Rapin, Vol. II. 172. (1) Namely, The AJfociation, Admiral, The Royal Anne, Sir George Byng , Commander, St. George, Lord Durfcy, Somerfet, Captain John Price, Torbay, Sir John Norris, Eagle, Captain Hancock, Monmouth, Captain Baker, Swiftfure, Captain Hubbart , Orford, Captain Cornwall, Rye, Captain Vernon, Lenox , Sir William Jumper, La Valeur, Captain Jobnfon , Cruizer , Captain Shales, The Firebrand, Captain Piercy , The Vulcan, Captain Hockman, The Phoenix, Captain Sanfom, The Grafton, Captain Holden, The IVcafel, Captain Gulman, The Ifabella Yatch, Captain Riddel, H (1 ) The 29 1707. His eba- rafter. 1he HISTO RT of ENGLAND. Vol. IV. 1707. chief the Confederate fleet dcfigned for the Slreigbts, confiding of thirty-five Englijh , and fourteen Dutch men of war ; and, being come into Leghorn road, maintained the honour of the EngliJJ: Union-flag, and forced the Governor of that City to give him a royal falutc, which he had at firfl refufed. In that expedition, Sir Cloudefly endeavoured to fupply the Cevennois with money, arms, and ammunition •, but, for want of intelligence, the Cevennois not coming to the fea-fhore, the Admiral exprefled a great concern, that he could not relieve them, having been always zealous for Liberty and the Proteftant Religion. In June 1704, he joined the grand fleet, commanded by Sir George Rooke, in the Mediterranean, had his fhare in the honour of taking Gibraltar, and by his bravery and admi¬ rable conduct in the fea-fight, that happened foon after, obliged the enemy’s van to bear away out of the reach of his cannon ■, and, tho’ but the fecond.in command, yet he got the prin¬ cipal honour of the day, and contributed mod to the prefervation of the Confederate fleet. For this fignal piece of fervice, he was, lome months after, appointed Rear-Admiral of England , and Admiral and Commander in chief ot her Ma- jefly’s fleet, in conjunction with the Earl of Peterborough. In 1706, he commanded the whole Confederate fleet, which had on board ten thou- fand men, under the command of Earl Rivers, defigned for a defcent upon France •, but, being detained by contrary winds in Torbay, till the ift of Oblober, the Admiral, according to his new orders, failed for Lijbon, and from thence to Alicant, where having fet on fhore the land- forces, he returned to Lijbon, to prepare for a greater expedition in the year 1707 ; and, accord¬ ingly, in the latter end of June that year, he call anchor in the road of Nice, where he nobly enter¬ tained the Duke of Savoy, Prince Eugene, and the Englijh and Dutch Minifters on board his fhip, and with them concerted meafures for the attack of Toulon and had the fatisfaCtion of fee¬ ing eight of the enemy’s capical fhips burnt and deftroyed. Affairs at France fet out no fleet this year, and yet the f ea ‘ Brilijh Nation never had greater Ioffes on that element. The Prince of Denmark's Council was very unhappy in the whole conduct of the cruifers and convoys. The Merchants made (t) The Competitors were : 1. The King of Pruf- Jia , as Heir to the Houfe of Orange, and confequently of that of Chalons. 2. The Marquis of Mailly , in the name of his Lady, who ftilcd herfelf Princefs of Orange, and pretended to be Heirefs of the Houfe of Chalons. 3. The Prince of Baden Durlach, by virtue of an agreement, made in the year 1490. between the families of Hochberg-Neujchatcl and Hochberg-Baden. 4. The Prince of Conti, as univerfal Heir to the late Duke of Longuevdle. 5. The Chevalier de Soijfons's reli£t, who ftiled herfelf Princefs of Niujchatel, by virtue of a deed or gift, made by the late Duchefs of Nemours, of that principality to the faid Chevalier, although fhe could not be ignorant of the decree of the three Eftates, dated March the 8th, 1694, where¬ by they declared the faid deed and gift void and illegal, and acknowledged the faid Duchcfs of Nemours, mere¬ ly as the only After, and the next Heir to the late Duke of Longuevdle. 6. The Prince of Carignan, as nephew, on the mother’s fide, to the late Duchefs of Nemours ; but, this Sovereignty being devolved to her by the right of her father, the Count of Matignon , heavy complaints, and, not without reafon. 1707. Convoys were fometimes denied them j and, when they were granted, they were often de¬ layed beyond the time limited for the Merchants to get their fhips in readinefs •, and the failing orders were fometimes fent them fo unhappily (bur, as many faid, fo treacheroufly) that a French fquadron was then lying in their way, to intercept them. This was liable to very fevere refle&ions •, for many of the Convoys, as well as the Merchants fhip, were taken. However, about this time an account was Under¬ brought of the fuccefs of Captain Underdown, jJJJJ/ ition Commander of the Falkland, in his expedition J againft the French filheries in the North ot Well In- America, in which the French fuftained the tol- dies - lowing damage : Two fhips taken, one of thirty guns, and an hundred men ; one fhip taken and burnt, of twenty guns, and eighty men , two fhips burnt by the enemy, one of thirty-two, and another of twenty-fix guns •, two hundred and twenty-eight filhing boats burnt •, four hun¬ dred and feventy boats and (loops, that were not employed in the fifliery this feafon •, twenty- three ftages, and twenty-three train fats burnt ; feventy-feven thoufand two hundred and eighty quintals of fifh •, and one thoufand five hundred and fixty eight hogfheads of train oil deftroyed. But all this was too inconfiderable, to alleviate the lofs of the men and fhips that perifhed with Sir Cloudejly Shovel. This year there was carried on a negociation, The King in which the Allies were greatly concerned, and Pruffia in which the Queen of Great-Britain, in parti- cular, made not the leaft figure. The Duchefs Neuf- ^ of Nemours, Princefs of Neujchatel and Valan- chatel. gin, dying at Paris on the 16th of June, N. S. ^' ll - °f no lefs than thirteen Competitors laid claim to g^ net that Sovereignty. Lambe'rti. Among thefe Competitors, were the King of PruJJia, and feveral of the French Nation, of whom the Prince of Conti was the chief (1). Upon news of the Duchefs’s death (in whom the Houfe of Longueville ended) the Prince of Conti , and fome other of the French Competitors, repaired to Neujchatel •, and others fent their Minifters and Agents thither, to profecute their refpe£tive claims. A letter from the Marquis de Torcy, Secretary of State in France, wherein he threatened the French and the Duchefs of Lejdigideres, who fet up the feventh and eighth Candidates, objected, that being Heirs by right of confanguinity, viz. the firft, nephew to the Duchefs of Nemours, in the third degree, and the Du¬ chefs in the fourth, the faid Count pretended, that the principality ought to be adjudged to him, as the next Heir, though of a later defcent ; and, on the other hand, the Duchefs de Lejdigideres contended, that, the Lineal Succeflion being to take place, the principality ought to be conferred on her by right of Primogeni¬ ture, as being defcended from the eldeft. 9. The Count of Montbelliard. 10. The Baron of Montjoy , as a defcendant of the Houfe of Chalons. II. The Prince of Furjiemburgh, by titles, which he could not produce. 12. The Marquis d’ Jlllegre, in the right of his Lady, as defcended from the Houfe of Chalons. 13. The Suiijs Canton of Ury claimed the City and County of Neujchatel , becaufe when that State, which formerly belonged to the thirteen Cantons of SwiJJer- land, was yielded by twelve of them, the Canton of Ury refufed to fubfcribe the deed of refignation. Book XXVI. 29. A N N E. 3 1 1707. French King’s refentment towards the inhabitants of Neufchatel , if they admitted a ftranger in competition with his fubjedts, having been in- duftrioufly fpread among the people, and other artifices ufed, to induce them to make choice of a Frenchman Count Metternich , the Pruffian Ambafiador, acquainted the Magiftracy, that the King, his Mafter, would be fupported by the whole Confederacy in the juftice of his pre- tenfions. Accordingly, Mr. Abraham Stanyan , the Queen of Great-Britain's Envoy Extraordi¬ nary to the Proteftant Cantons, in a memorial to the Magiftrates of Bern , recommended his P ruffian Majefty’s right, and repaired to Neuf¬ chatel. The day after his arrival, he delivered by his Secretary two letters from the Queen; in the firft of which, directed to the Governor and Counfellors of State of the Sovereignty of Neuf¬ chatel and Valangin, fhe laid, “ That, having “ been informed of the death of the Dutchefs of “ Nemours , her Majefty thought there was an “ indifpenfable obligation incumbent upon her “ to write to them in favour of his P ruffian “ Majefty, that, by virtue of his right to the “ City and Country of Neufchatel., both by he- “ reditary title, and by the ceftion of the late “ King of Great-Britain, William the Third, “ her Brother, they would acknowledge and ad- “ mit him for their lawful Sovereign. That «' fhe hoped they would do it the more readily, “ not only becaufe that Prince was united with “ them by the facred bond of the Reformed “ Religion, which both he and they equally “ profefled; but alfo becaufe he had hitherto “ fhewn the fame care and affedtion for their “ interefts, which he ever expreffed for the good “ and advantage of his own good fubjedls. “ Wherefore her Majefty did not doubt, that, “ being mindful of their country’s welfare, and “ endowed with fo much prudence as they were, “ they would carefully avoid chufing for their tc Prince a perfon, who being a fubjedt, and in- “ tirely devoted to the Government of France , “ ought, for that reafon, to be as fufpedted to “ them, as he would be to her Majefty, and to “ all her other Allies: Which perfuaded her at “ the fame time, that, without any delay, they “ would grant his P ruff an Majefty’s juft de- “ mand ; and, as the fame would give her Ma- “ jefty a fingular fatisfadlion, fo, on her part, “ fhe would ever be difpofed to fliew them the “ effedts of her friendfhip.” The Queen’s let¬ ter to the Mini fir aux and Counfellors of Neuf¬ chatel was much to the fame purpofe; and the Secretary prefen ted at the fame time to the Coun¬ cil of Stare a memorial in behalf of the King of Pruffia. Not long after Mr. Runckell , En¬ voy from the States-General , arrived at Neufcha¬ tel, with inftrudtions to join with Mr. Stanyan in all proper meafures to affift Count Metternich ; and a letter from the King of Sweden to the Can¬ ton of Bern , in favour of the King of Pruffia , added no final 1 weight to the interpofition of Great-Britain and Holland. The Allies looked on this as a matter of great confequence; fincc it might end in a rupture be¬ tween the Proteftant Cantons and France , for the Popifh Cantons were now wholly theirs. Af¬ ter much pleading and a long debate, the States of the Principality gave judgment in favour of the King of Pruffia , to whom the Inveftiture of Neufchatel was folemnly granted on the 3d of November , N. S. The French Competitors pro- protefted agamft this, and left the place in high 1707. difeontent: The French Ambafiador threatned that little State with an invafion, and all com¬ merce with them was forbid. The Canton of Bern efpoufed their concern with a fpirit and a zeal, which was not expected from them, and declaring, they were in a Comburgherfhip with them, came to an unanimous refolution, to de¬ fend the Principality of Neufchatel with all their forces; purfuant to which refolution, they fent, a few days after, four thoufand five hundred of their men • to the frontiers of Neufchatel. The French continued to threaten, and Marfhal de Villars had orders to march a great part of his army towards them. But, when the Court of France faw, that the Cantons of Bern and Zu¬ rich were not terrified by thofe marches, they let the whole matter fall, very little to their ho¬ nour; and fo the intercourfe between the French Dominions and that State was again opened, and the peace of the Cantons was fecured. The King of Pruffia engaged his honour, that he would govern that State with a particular zeal for advancing both Religion and Learning in it ; and upon thefe afiurances he perfuaded the Bi- fhops of England , and the Bifhop of Sarum in particular, to ufe their beft endeavours to pro¬ mote his pretenfions; upon which they wrote, in the mod effectual manner they could, to Monfieur Ofiervald , who was the mod eminent Ecclefiaftic of that State, and one of the beft and mod judicious Divines of the age. He was bringing that Church to a near agreement with the forms of worfhip in the Church of England. The King of Pruffia was well difpofed in all matters of Religion, and had made a great ftep, in order to reconcile the Lutherans and the Cal- vinifis in his Dominions, by requiring them not to preach to the people on thofe points, in which they differed, and by obliging them to commu¬ nicate together, notwithftanding the diverfity of their opinions; which was indeed the only wife and honed way of making up their breach. The Proteftant Cantons of Swifferland ob- ferving the zeal, which the King of Sweden fhewed in favour of their Religion, in fupport- ing the pretenfions of the King of Pruffia to the Principality of Neufchatel , by his letter to the King of France , as well as to the Cantons, fent to him a French Gentleman of Quality, the Marquifs de Rochegude , to let him know, what regard they had to his recommendations, and to defire him to interpofe his good offices with the French King, for fetting at liberty about three hundred perfons, who were condemned to the gallies, and treated mod cruelly in them, upon no other pretence, but becaufe they would not change their Religion, and had endeavoured to make their efcape out of France. The King of Sweden received this meffage with a particular civility, and immediately complied with it; ordering his Minifter at the Court of France , to make it his defire to that King, that thefe Confefiors might be delivered to him. But the Minifters of France faid, That was a point of the King’s Government at home, in which he could not fuffer foreign Princes to meddle. The King of Sweden feemed fenfible of this neg- ledt; and it was hoped, that, when his affairs would admit of it, he would exprefs a due re¬ fentment of it. Marriagei Whilft the Houfe of Aufiria was ftruggling °C- thl of this year with great difficulties, two pieces of Spafn and pomp Portugal. The HI STORY of ENGLAND. Vol. IV. A fedition in Ham- An at¬ tempt to tarry off the Dau¬ phin. Mil. Hilt. pomp and magnificence confumed a great part of their treafure. An embaffy was lent from Lijbon to demand the Emperor’s fitter for that King, which was done with an unufual and ex¬ travagant cxpence. A wife was to be fought for King Charles among the Proteltant Courts, for there was not a fuitable match in the Popifh. He had feen the Princcfs of Anfpach, and was much pleafed with her ; fo that great applicati¬ ons were made to perfuade her to change her Religion ; but /he could not be prevailed on to buy a Crown at fo dear a rate ; and, foon after, fiie was married to the Electoral Prince of B/unf- wick, and her firmnefs to the Proteftant Religion rewarded with the Crown of Great-Britain. The Princefs of IVolfenbuttle was not fo firm •, lhe was brought therefore to Vienna , and fome time after married by proxy to King Charles, and fent to Italy in her way to Spain. The folem- nity, with which thefe matters were managed, a mid ft all the diftrefs of the Aujlrian affairs, confumed a vaft deal of treafure ; for fucli was the pride of thofe Courts on fuch occafions, thar, rather than fail in a point of fplendor, they would let their molt important affairs go to wreck. That Princefs was landed at Barcelona ■, and the Queen of Portugal , the fame year, came to Hol¬ land, to be carried to Lijbon by a fquadron of the Englijh fleet. The City of Hamburgh was this year thrown into great confufion by a conteft, which arofe between fome private perfons, one of whom was a Luther an and gave occafion to a di- vilion there. One fide was protected by the Senate, which fo highly difgufted ihe other, that it was like to end in a revolt againft the Ma- giftrates, and a civil war within the City ; and it being known, that the King of Denmark had, for many years, an eye on that place, the neigh¬ bouring Princes .apprehended, that he might take advantage from thofe commotions, or that the weaker fide might chufe rather to fall under his power, than under the revenge of the adverfe party. The Kings of Sweden and Pntjjia, with the Houfe of Brunfwick , refolved therefore to fend troops thither, to quiet this diftradtion, and to chaftile the more retra&ory •, while the Em¬ peror’s Minifters, together with the Queen’s, endeavoured to accommodate matters, without fuffering them to run to extremities. Before the opening the campaign this year in Flanders, a very extraordinary attempt was made by a partizan in the Imperial army for carrying off the Dauphin, or fome other Prince of the blood of France , which very narrowly miffed of fuccefs. This man’s name was Queintem ; he had ferved the Prince of Conti, as a Valet de Chambre, when he went to Hungary •, he after¬ wards became-one of the Eledtor of Bavaria's band of mufic, and then his huntfman. Some of the Princes of Germany ufed to have a great number of thofe huntfmen, whom in time they incorporated into their troops. This man going over to the Imperialifts ferved as a partizan, and was honoured with a brevet as a Colonel for fome good fervices he had performed. This animated him to do ftill greater things; and, the alterations produced by the battle of Rannllies making it no difficult matter to get from Flan¬ ders into France , he formed a project of carry¬ ing off fome Prince of the blood from the road between Verfallies and Paris ; and, it was gene¬ rally believed, that his view was particularly upon the Dauphin. In order to effedt this, he made choice of fixteen Officers and fourteen Dragoons, all enterprizing men, and of great refolution. He procured three paffports, each for ten men ; and having given them to perfons whom he could cruft, he divided his troop into three imall corps, each of which entered France by a different route, joining in the neighbour¬ hood of Paris, The two Commanders of his Email fquadrons were directed by him, that ten firould poll themfclves in the wood of Cbantilli , ten at St. Oiien, and the other ten at Seve, on the road from Paris to Verfailles ; thefe laft’, to prevent difeovery, were lodged in different pub¬ lic houles. One of them, who was a Lieute¬ nant, went frequently to Paris , where he fold two Englijh horfes. He walked from time to time in the ltreet of Seve , and on the bridge, that croffes the Seine there. He one day met the Duke of O. leans, but it happened to be too light for him to undertake any thing. Two days after the Dauphin and the Pi i. celles paffed him, going to hunt in die wood Boulogne -, but they were too well attended for the partizan to hope any thing from an attack. At laft, on the 24th of March, he, who was centinel, perceiv¬ ing Monfieur de Berringlon, firft Equerry to the King, in a coach and fix, with the Ki-g’s live¬ ries, with a few attendants, it being but half an hour pa ft ieven in the evening, took him for fome Prince of the blood, and immediately made a fignal for the nine others, who paffed the bridge. As for the centinel, thofe, who guarded the bridge, feeing him crofs it three or lour times in a hurry, at laft threw clown the barrier, (lopped him, and gave not.ee to the Grand Provoft. In the mean time his nine com¬ panions, among whom was the partizan Quein- tem, flopped the coach, and put out the flam¬ beaux ; and then the partizan taking Monfieur. le Premier (fo in France they flyle the Kind’s firft equerry) by the fl.eve, told him, that they arrefted him by the King’s order. Monfieur le Premier anfwered, that he juft came from his Majefty ; that he would be glad to know who he (the partizan) was, and whether he had not fome Officer with him, to whom he mHit fpeak. The partizan, without making him any anfwer, obliged him to get out of the coach, and mount a fpare horfe, which one of the fer- vants rid. Monfieur le Premier's Valet de Chambre would have followed him, had not one of the foldiers threatened to fhoot him, upon which his mafter bid him go back ; but he dtfi- red, that he might have h s cloak ; upon which one of the men took it from his fervant, and threw it upon his fhoulders. He, who was’flop¬ ped at Seve, was their guide ■, and his Jofs pro¬ ved a great misfortune to them, becaufe it re¬ tarded them very much in their journey. They turned by the walls of the wood of Boulogne , from whence they went to St. Oiien, where they had left a poft-chaile, with the ten men above- mentioned i bur, as they did not know the roads perfectly, they loft a good deal of time in get¬ ting to that place. Monfieur le Premier's Valet de Chambre foon carried the news of his Mal¬ ta's misfortune to Verfailles, fo that the King heard of it by nine o’clock, and fent an order to Monfieur Chamillard to difpatch Couriers im¬ mediately to the Intendants to flop all the paf- fages. He fent likewife an exempt with twenty life-guards to follow the partizan. Monfieur d'Epines Mfl6a BiB^wScj585 Book XXVI. 29. A 1707. d* Epines and all the other Equerries mounted and rode, fome towards Normandy, Tome towards Flanders, and others towards Germany. They learned, that, Monfieur le Premier finding him- felf much out of order, the Partizan made a halt for three hours to give him time to reft, and had even cut and lowered the back of the chaife, which hindered its going, that his pri- foner might be the lefs incommoded. The Guards and Equerries rode fo faft, and fpread intelligence fo quick, that the Partizan, as he got out of the foreft of Chantilli, heard the alarum-bell ring in all the villages ; upon which he began to doubt of the fuccefs of his expedi¬ tion : However, he went on boldly and undif- covered as far as Ham, where he was difcovered by a Quarter-Mafter, who rode up to him, and clapped a piftol to his throat. The Partizan, finding himfelf furrounded on all Tides, was ob¬ liged to furrender. Monfieur le Premier imme¬ diately cried out, Fhat be had been extremely well ufed , and defired , that the man might not be hurt. He kept him that night to tupper with him, carried him on his parole back to Verfailles , and lodged him there in his own apartments. Madam de Beringhen, who hap¬ pened to be gone before her hu/band in another coach, made the Partizan a very confiderable prefent for the civilities which he had Ihewn Monfieur le Premier. It is certain, .that nothing but his condefcenfion in (topping thofe three hours hindered him from getting clear off, fince, at the place where he was (topped, he was within three hours march ot a place of fafety ; and on this account it was, that he and his com¬ panions were difcharged. The affairs This was the date of our affairs abroad, both «/■ Ireland, by f ea anc j j anc ]_ During thefe tranfadions, a Parliament was held at Dublin by the Eail of Pembroke , who was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. At the opening of the Seflion, on the 7th of July, he made a fpeech, wherein, among other things, he faid, “ That the Queen, “ confidering the number of Papifts in Ireland, “ would be glad of any expedient (or the “ (Lengthening the intereft of her Proteftant “ fubjects. That, the public fervice requiring “ that feveral regiments (hould be fent abroad, “ the Queen intended to fupply the like num- “ ber ot forces, for the fecurity of that King- “ dom ; and he did not doubt, but they would “ provide Supplies for them, as well as for de- “ fraying the expence of the Government.” Both Houfes addreffing the Queen, the Lords, * Couth. ^ * s foid *■> omitted congratulating her upon ef Coke, the late Union of England and Scotland, which fhe fo much valued herfelf upon ; whilft the Commons not only mentioned the glory (he had acquired by it, but hinted at a much more Com- prehenfive Union. To this the Queen anfwered, “ They might be fure, nothing (hould be want- “ ing to make the Union of all her fubje&s as “ extenfive as poffible.” Some thought this related to a comprehenfion in matters of Reli¬ gion ; but others more reafonably fuppofed, that, by their Comprehenfive Union, the Commons meant the uniting of Ireland as well as Scotland with England, and forming the three Kingdoms into one. Purfuant to the Queen’s defire, expreffed in his Excellency’s fpeech, for (Lengthening the Proteftant intereft, a bill was brought in by the Commons, for explaining an act to prevent Numb. LIV. Vol. IV. N N E. 33 the farther growth of Popery, and it was re- I70 , folved, I. That any Proteftant Guardian, that permits a Papift to educate and difpofe of his ward, does thereby betray the truft repofed in him, evade the law, and propagate Popery. II. That any Papift, who ftiall take upon him to manage and difpofe of the lubftance and per- fon of any infant committed to a Proteftant Guardian, is guilty of a notorious breach of the law. III. That altering a Proteftant Guardian duly appointed, without fufficient reafon, is a difcouragement to the execution ot the ad againfl the further growth of Popery. However, when the Committee had gone through the bill, and agreed to every paragraph except one (by which the fons of Papifts that fhould turn Proteftants might be injured) the Houfe difagreed to that, and rejefted the bill. But it was unanimoufty refolved, that all Popilh Priefts v.ere obliged to take the oath ol abjuration by the laws inTorce, and that it was the indifpenfible duty of all Judges and Magiftrates to put thofe laws in execution. The Houfe of Commons having appointed a Committee to infpedt the public accounts, upon their report being read, it was refolved, I. I nat this Kingdom had been put to exceffive charge, by means ol great arrears of rent, returned by the late Truftees, to be due our of tile forfeited eftates of this Kingdom ; and that molt of the faid arrearages returned appear to be unieft charges on the fubjeft, and talfe returns, by re¬ ceipts under the hand of the T uftees, or their Receivers, or entries in their own books. II. 1 hat an humble reprefentation be laid before her Majefty, of the gieat charge and preftbre the Kingdom lies under, by the faid itturns, and feveral other the oppieffive proceedings of the late Truftees. The Houfe alfo refolved. That it would great¬ ly conduce to the relief of the poor, and the good of that Kingdom , that the inhabitants fhould ufe no other than their own manufactures in their apparel, and the furniture of their houfes-, and all the Members mutually agreed and engaged their Honours to each other, that they would conform to the faid refolution. The Commons having granted the neceftiiry Supplies, and the feveral bills they were upon being ready for the Royal affenr, the Tord-Tieu- tenant gave it to An aft for regiftring lands, deeds, We. An aft to explain an aft to prevent Papifts being Soliicitors. An aft tor explaining and limiting the privi¬ leges of Parliament. An aft for the more effeftual preventing the taking away, and marrying Children againlt the wills of their parents. And feveral other afts public and private. This done, the Pariiament was prorogued from the 29th of October to the 6th of May, and the Earl of Pembroke returned to England. During the campaign, things went in England PrtcaJ- in their ordinary channel. But the conduft, ings with with relation to Scotland, was more unaccounta- ” ga \ d ? ble. For whereas it might have been reafonably Burnet! expected, that the management of the newly- united part of this lfland (hould have been par¬ ticularly taken care of, fo as to give no juft diftafte to the Scots , nor offer an handle to thofe, who were (till endeavouring to inflame that Na¬ tion, and to increafe their averfion to the Union ; I things 3 + The HISrORT l 707. tilings were, on the contrary, i'o ordered, as if the defign had been to contrive methods to exaf- perate the fpirits of the people there. Though the management of the Scots revenue was to fall into the Lord Treafurer’s hands on the firft or May, no care was taken to have all the Com- midions ready at the day, with new officers to ferve in them ; I'o that the whole trade of Scot¬ land was flopped for a]mod two months for want of orders, to put it into the new courfe, in which it was to be carried on. Three months parted before the Equivalent was fent to Scotland ; and, when wines and ocher merchandize were imported into England from thence, feizures were every where made •, and this was managed with a paricular affectation of roughnefs. All thefe things heightened the prejudices, with which that Nation had been pofiefied againft: the Uiiion. It was all'o known, that many mef- fages parted between Scotland and France ; and that there were many meetings and much con- fuliation among the difeontented party there. A great bodyappeared openly for the Pretender, and celebrated his birth-day very publickly, both (i) The Duchefs of Marlborough, in the account of he Conduit, p. 177, yueen was much changed towards me ; and that I could not attribute this to any thing but her fecret manage¬ ment. That I knew Jhe had been very frequently with her Majejly in private; and that the very attempt to conceal this by artifice , from fuch a friend as I had been to her , was alone a very illftgn , and enough to prove a very bad purtofe at bottom. To this {he very gravely anfwered, That Jhe was fure the Sjhteen , who had loved me extreamly , would always be very kind to me. It was fome minutes before I could recover from the furprize, with which fo extraordinary an anfwer ftruck me. To fee a woman, whom I had raifed out of the dull, put on fuch a fuperior air, and to hear her allure me by way of confolation, that the Sfyeen wou}d be always very kind to me! At length I went on to reproach her with her ingratitude, and her fecret management with the Queen to undermine thofe, who had fo long, and with l'o much honour, ferved her Majefty. To this {he anfwered, That Jhe never fpoke to the §>ucen about bufmefs , but that Jhe fome times gave her petitions, which N® 54. Vol. IV. came to the back-flairs, and with which foe knew I did net care to be troubled. And with fuch infincere anfwers {he thought to colour over the matter, while I knew for certain, flie had before this, obtained penfions for feveral of her friends, and had frequently paid to others, out of the privy-purfe, fums of money, which the Queen had ordered me to bring her; and that flie was every day long with her Majefty in private. But thus our converfation ended ; and, when we had fate a while filent, {he rofe up and faid, She hoped 1 would give her leave to come fometimes , and enquire after my health: Which, however, it is plain {he did not de- fign to do, for {he never once came near me after this. Notwithftanding this, when {he owned her marriage publickly, I went with Lady Sunderland to vifit her ; not that I intended to have any farther inter- courfe with her, or to diflemble the ill opinion 1 had of her (as I had fully refolved to let her then know, in cafe I found an opportunity of fpeaking to her pri¬ vately) but purely out of refpedt to the Queen, and to avoid any noife or difagreeable difeourfe, which my re- fufing that ordinary part of civility might occafion. Not many days after this I went to pay my refpe&s to the Queen in the Chriflmas holidays; and, before I went in, I learnt from the Page, that Mrs. Majham was juft then fent for. The moment I faw her Majefty, I plainly perceived ftie was very uneafy. She flood all the while I was with her, and looked as coldly upon me, as if her intention was, that I {hould no longer doubt of my lofs of her affe&ions. Upon obfervmg what reception I had, I faid, I was ve-y forry I had happened to come fo unfeafonably. I was making my courtefy to go away, when the Queen, with a great deal of difordcr in her face, and without fpeaking one word, took me by the hand ; and, when thereupon T ftooped to kifs her’s, {he took me up with a very cold cmbiace, and then, without one kind word, let me go. So ft range a treatment of me, after my long and faith¬ ful fervices, and after fuch repeated aflurances from her Majefty of an unalterable affe&ion, made me think, that I ought, in juftice to myfelf, as well as in regard to my Miftrefs’s intereft, to write to her in the plaineft and fincereft manner poflible, and expofttulate with her upon her change to me, and upon the new coun- fels, by which {he feemed to be wholly governed. My letter was in thefe terms; December 27, 1707, ‘ 1 / Mrs. Morley will be fo juft as to refiedf and examine impartially her laft reception of Mrs. Free¬ man, how very different from what it has been former¬ ly, when you were glad to fee her come in, and forry when {he went away ; certainly you cannot wonder at her reproaches upon an embrace, that feemed to have no fatisfa&ion in it, but that of getting rid of her in order to enjoy the converfation of one, that has the good fortune to pleafe you much better, though I am fure nobody did ever endeavour it with more fincerity than Mrs. Freeman had done. And if I had confider- ed only my intereft, and that of my family, I might have borne this change without any complaint. For I believe Mrs. Morley would be fincere in doing us any good. But I have once been honoured with an open kind confidence and truft, and that made all my fer¬ vices agreeable; and it is not poflible to lofe it with¬ out a mortification too great to be pafled with filence, being fure, that I have never done any thing to forfeit K it. 1707. far with relation to thofe two Bifhopricks, that fhe could not recall the promifes (lie had made, yet for the future fhe was refolved to give them full content (1). But, while this was faid to fume Whigs, Mr. Barley, and his friends Mr. St. John and Sir Simon Harcourl, took great pains with the leaders of the Tories, particularly Sir !Thomas Hanmer , Mr. Bromley, and Mr. Freeman, to engage them in the Queen’s interefls, alluring them, that her heart was with them •, that fhe was weary of the tyranny of the Whigs, and longed to be delivered from it. But they were not w. ought upon by that management ; they either millrufted it, as done only to infnare them •, or they had other views, which they did not think fit to own. This double-dealing came to be known, and gave occafion to much jealoufy and diftruft. Four men A little before the Seflion was opened, an emi- ef war loft, nent misfortune happened at fea. A convoy of five fhips of the line (th.- Cumberland of eighty guns. Captain Richard Edwards Commodore ; the Devonjhire of like force •, the Royal Oak of feventy guns ; and the Chejler and Ruby of fifty) were fent to Lijbon, to convoy thither a fleet of about a hundred and thirty fail of Merchant- fhips, with merchandize, provifions, ft ores of war, and a thoufand horfes bought in England for the King of Portugal. They left Plymouth Vol. IV. on the 9th of October, being ordered to fail, as if it had been by concert, at a time when a fqua- dion from Dunkirk had j dried another from Breft , and lay 111 the way, waiting for them un¬ der the command of Monfieur Forbin , and Monfieur du Cue Trouin, and making in all four¬ teen lail ■, one of feventy-two guns, others of fixty, fome of fifty, and none under forty. Some advertifements were brought to the Ad¬ miralty of this conjunction, but they were not believed. When the French fet upon the odl. 10. Engli/h fhips off the Lizard , the convoy did their part very gallantly, though the enemy were almoft three to one. One of the Eng/i/6 men of war was blown up, and three of them were taken, fo that only one efcaped much fhat- tered i but they had fought fo long, that moft of the Merchant fhips had time to get away, and ftiled on, not being purfued, and got fafe to Lijbon. This coming almoft at the fame time with the lofs of Admiral Shovel , the Seflion of Parliament begun with a melancholy face, and a difpute, upon the opening, had almoft put the Houfes into great diforder. It was generally thought, that, though this Difpute was a Parliamei t th :t had now fare two years, about the yet it was a new Parliament, by realon it had par/la ' been let fall, and was revived by a proclama¬ tion, as has been faid. The confequence of this was. it, having never betrayed nor abufed that confidence, by giving you a falfe reprefentation of any body. My temper is naturally plain and fincere, and Mrs. Mor- ley did like it for many years. It is not the leaft alter¬ ed. But I cannot help thinking thofe things reafonable, that appear to be fo. And I appeal to God Almighty, that I never defigned or purfued any thing, but as I was thoroughly convinced it was for Mr... Morley’s true interefl and honour: And, I think, 1 may fafely put it to that trial, if any thing has \et proved unfuc- cefsful, that was of any public confequence, that Mrs. Freeman has been earned to perfuade Mrs. Morley to. And it is not pofiible lor me to diflemble, fo as to ap¬ pear what I am not. So much by way of apology for what happened upon TVednefday lad. And, if Mrs. Alorley has any remains of the tendernefs fhe once profefled for her faithful Freeman , I would beg file might be treated one of thefe two wavs, either with the opennefs and confidence of a friend, as fhe was for twenty jears (for to pretend kindnefs without truft and opennefs of heart is a treat¬ ment for children, not friends) or elfe in that manner, that is necefi’ary for the poll fhe is in, which unavoid¬ ably forces her to be often troubling Mrs. Morley upon the account of others. And if fhe pleafes to chufe which of thefe two ways, or any other fhe likes to have Mrs. Freeman live in, fhe promifes to follow any rule, that is laid down, that is poflible, and is refolved to her life’s end, and, upon all occafions, to fhew, that Mrs. Morley never had a more faithful fervant.’ My Lord Marlborough, or my Lord Godolpbin (I have forgot which) carried my letter. The Queen took no notice of it to either of thofe Lords. But fome days after fhe wrote me an anfwer, in which fhe very much foftened what had paffed. I was much pleafed to find her Majefty in that difpofition, and once more put on as eafy an appearance as I could. (1) The Duchefs of Marlborough, in the account of her Condufl, p. 174, obferves, that, notwithflanding the promotion of Lord Sunderland t<> the poff of Se¬ cretary of State was carried by the Whigs, they were foon alarmed again by the Queen’s choice of two High-Church Divines to fill two vacant Bifhopricks. Several of the Whigs were difpofed to think themfelves betrayed by the Miniftry ; whereas the truth was, that the Queen’s inclination to the Tories, being now foothed by the flatteries and infinuations of her private Counfellors, had begun to make it irkfome to her to confult with her Mmifters upon any promotions', ei¬ ther in the Church or the State. The fir ft artifice of thofe Counfellors Was to inflill into the Queen notions of the high Prerogative of a fling without her Minijlers , and (as they exprefled it) of bung Sjkueen indeed And the nomination of perfons to Bifhopricks again ft the Judgment and Remonfirances of her Miniftrv, being what they knew her genius would fall in with more readily than with any thing elfe they could propofe, they began with that; and they took care, that thefe Remonjlrances fhould be interpreted by the worlJ, and relented by herfclt, as hard ufage, a denial of common civility, and even the making her no Shteen. Her Majefty, however, to quiet the diflatisfa£lion of the Whigs for the late promotions, ordereJ her Mi¬ ni fters to allure them, tlut fhe would prefer no more Tories, and fhe gave the fame alTuranees with her own mouth in the Cabinet-Council. And file was differed by her fecret Counfellors fo far to oblei ve this pro- mife, as to give, about the fame time, the Bifhoprick of Norwich to Dr. Trimncli, a particular friend of Lord Sunderland’}. And file all'o, fome time after, gave the Profeflbrfhip of Divinity at Oxford to Dr. Potter, the prefent Archbilhop of Canterbury , who had Dr. Smalridge for his Competitor, recommended by the Tories. But this latter favour to the Whigs was not fo cafily obtained as the former. And, upon the delays, that were made in bellowing it, my Lord Marlborough thought it proper to try what credit he had with the Queen, whole glory he had carried to a height beyond thai of any of her Predeceflbrs. He wrote therefore a very moving letter to her, complain¬ ing of the viiible lofs of his interefl with her, and particularly of her lo long deferring the promotion rhe had promifed, of the perfon recommended bv her Miniftry, as a faithful friend to her Government, ad¬ ding, that the only was to make her reign tafv, was to be true tS that rule, which ihe had prof fled .0 lay down, of preferring none of thofe, who appealed againil her fervice and the Nation’s interefl, ise. He wrote at the fame time to the fame ift'edl to me, and I wrote to the Queen ; and at length by much loflici- tation this matter was obtained, and Dr. Potter fixed in the Profellbrfhip. Book XXVI. 29. A 1707. was, that they, who had got places, were to be re-elefted. Others maintained, that it could not be a new Parliament, fince it was not fummon- ed by a new writ, but by virtue of a claule in an aft of Parliament. Mr. Secretary Harley was for maintaining it to be an old Parliament; but the Duke of Marlborough , upon his coming over, prevailed to have it yielded to be a new one. The firjl Accordingly, when, on the 23d of Oftober, the Sejion of parliament of Great-Britain met at IVeft- l p e ,niia- minfter, all the forms ufual in the beginning of ment of a new Parliament were obferved. The Queen Great- came to the Houfe of Peers, and, the Commons O^'z being fent for, they were direfted by the Lord- ' Chancellor to return to their Houfe, and chule a Speaker, and prefent him that day fe’nnight. They unanimoufly made choice of Mr. Smith their former Speaker, and then adjourned to the 30th of the fame month. The Lords alfo ad¬ journed to the fame day, after thirteen Peers, of that part of Great-Britain called Scotland , had been admitted to their places, by virtue of their refpeftive writs, each being introduced by two Engli/h Peers of the fame rank. On the 30th, the Queen came again to the Houfe of Peers, and the Commons, being fent for, prefented their Speaker, whole eleftion was approved. Then the Lord-Chancellor acquaint¬ ed both Houfes with her Majefty’s pleafure, that they fhould adjourn to the 6th of November ; on which day the Queen made the following fpeecli to both Houfes: My Lords and Gentlemen , The g n > by the conduft and authority of the “ Lleftor of Hanover , whofe feafonable accept- “ ance of that command has {Lengthened and “ obliged the whole Confederacy. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, “ The juft application of the fums given me “ by former Parliaments, the plain neceffity of 44 continuing this war, the reafonable profpeft 44 °I putting a good end to it, if we be not “ wanting 10 ourfelves, and the honour of the 44 firft Parliament of Great Britain , are, I make “ no doubt, fufficient arguments to incite you 44 to provide the neceflary Supplies, which I am “ obliged to defire of you for the enluing cam- “ paign in all parts, and particularly for the “ timely liipport of the King of Spain, and the “ making good our treaty with Portugal •, as al- “ fo for ftrengtheni: g the Confederate army 44 under the Command of the Duke of Savoy ; 44 all which iervices, I do not doubt, but you “ will think fo neceflary, that they ought not “ to be neglcfted, even though they fhould 44 require an augmentation. “ The fums already expended in this war “ have been very great; and they are fuffici- “ ent proofs how well fatisfied my fubjefts “ have always been with the ends of my Go- 44 vernment; of which I am fo fenfible, as ne- 44 ver to afk any Supplies from them, but what 44 are abfolutely neceflary for the prefervurion of “ Religion and Liberty. I look upon it as 44 my great happinefs, that I have not the lead tf intereft feparate from that of all my good “ fubjefts. My Lords and Gentlemen, “ In a work fo great and new in its kind as “ that of the Union, it is impoflible, but that “ fome doubts and difficulties muft have arifen, “ which, however, I hope, are fo far overcome, “ as to have defeated the defign of thofe, who “ would have made ufe of that handle to foment “ difturbances. “ There are feveral matters exprefsly made “ liable, by the articles of the Union, to the “ confideration of the Parliament of Great- “ Britain , which, together with fuch others, as “ may reafonably produce thofe advantages, “ that, with due care, muft certainly a'ife from “ that treaty, I earneftly recommend to your “ ferious confideration. “ On my part, nothing ftiall be wanting to “ procure to my people all the bleflings, which “ can follow from this happy circumftance of “ my Reign, and to extinguifh by all proper “ means the leaft occafions of jealoufy, that “ either the civil or religious rights of any part “ of this my unired Kingdom can fuffer by the “ confequences of this Union. “ Such a fuggeftion (hall never, in my time, “ have any foundation, how reftlefs foever our “ enemies may be in their endeavours and arti- “ fices to difturb our peace and happinefs. Thofe “ great and valuable bleflings cannot but be al- “ ways fecure to us, if we heartily endeavour “ to confirm and improve our prefent Union. “ I hope therefore you will fuffer nothing to “ prevail with you to difunite among yourfelves, “ or 4 ° >;° 7 ' AJJrtfi,/ the Com- Pr'.H. L. IV. 72. Pr. H. L. n. 179. The HISTO RT (/ENGLAND. Vol. W “ or abate your zeal in oppofing the common 44 enemy.” The Queen’s fpeech varioufly affe&ed both Houles. The Commons unanimoufly voted and prefented an addrefs of thanks, wherein they a fill red her Majefty, “ That no difappointments 44 fliould difcourage them from making their “ utmoll efforts to enable her, in conjumftion 44 with her Allies, to reduce the whole Spanijh 44 Monarchy to the obedience of the King of “ Spain, to make good the treaty with Portugal, “ and to firengthen the Confederate army under “ the command of the Duke of Savoy.” But in the Houfe of Lords, when the Queen’s fpeech came firfl under confideration, inftead of voting immediately an addrefs of thanks, the Earl of Wharton made a fpeech, wherein, among other things, he took notice of the great decay of trade and fcarcity of money, which he had ob- ferved in travelling in the country, fo that the farmers were not able to pay their rents to their landlords. He was feconded by the Lord Sommers, who enlarged on the ill ftate and mifmanagements of the navy, and on the great Ioffes of the merchants at fea the lad fummer. The Earl of Stamford (at that time male one of the Commifiioners of trade; endeavoured to put a flop to the profecution of this fubjeft, by moving and pofiponing the confideration of the ftate of the Nation till a more proper occa- fion, and propofing the returning thanks to the Queen for her fpeech. This was oppofed by the Duke of Buckingbamfhire , the Earl of Ro- chefter , and the Lord Guernsey ; who urged, that they ought, in the firft place, to confider the /late of the Nation ; infinuating, at the fame time, that addrefies had before been made to lit¬ tle purpofe ; meaning, with relation to the navy. After fome other fpeeches, it was or¬ dered, that the fla'.e of the Nation fliould be taken into confideration, Nov. 19, in a Com¬ mittee of the whole Houfe, where the Queen was prefent incognito. The Lord Herbert of Chcrbury being chofen Chairman, a petition (1). The mod material paffages of this fpeech were theft.- 4 My Lord Herbert ,-The two things you have now under your confideration, your Fleet and your Trade, have fo near a relation, and fuch mutual influence upon each other, they cannot well be fepara- ted. Your trade is the mother and nurfe of your fea- nien ; your feamen are the life of your fleet, and your fleet is the fecurity and protection of your trade ; and both together are the wealth, ftrength, fecurity, and glory of Britain. And this is fo manifeft, that thofc, who have writ upon thefe fubjeCls, whether foreigners, or among our- felves, have all owned it: Which makes it aftonifhing, that a thing fo clear and evident, and wherein our intereft and fafety do fo much confift, fhould be poft- poned to any foreign confideration whatfoever ; where¬ in we are lefs concerned. But we are fo unhappy as to ftruggle with fo many complicated difficulties, that what is proper for one thing, is prejudicial to another. My Lord,—Your difalters at fea have been fo ma¬ ny, a man fcarce knows where to begin. Your fhips have been taken by your enemies, as the Dutch take your herrings, by fhoals upon your own coafts: Nay, your Royal navy itfelf has not efcaped. And thefe are pregnant misfortunes, and big with innumerable mif- chiefs. Your Merchants arc beggared ; your commerce is broke; your trade is gone ; your ftaple and manu¬ facture ruined: The Queen has loft her cuftoms, and given in by the two Sheriffs of London, and fub- 1707. icribed by about two hundred of the molt emi¬ nent Merchants of the City, was read, com¬ plaining of the great Ioffes, which they had lately iuftained at fea, for want of convoys and cruifers, and begging a fpeedy remedy. After the reading of this petition, which was prefent¬ ed to the Committee by the Earl of Wharton , he began the debate, by laying open the mife- rable condition of the Nation, and the great de¬ cay of trade. Several other Peers lpokc to the fame effefl; and, among the reft:, the Lord Havtrjham , in his ufual manner, made a long fpeech (1). The debate growing high, fome Lords endea¬ voured to allay it, by propofing ways and means to retrieve our lolTcs at lea •, and, among the reft, the Lord Halifax moved, That a Com¬ mittee be appointed to receive propofals for en¬ couraging of Trade and Privateers in the Wefl- Iudies ; which motion being feconded by the Lord-Treafurer, and the queftion put, the fame was carried in the affirmative. After which, a day was appointed to hear, in a grand Commit¬ tee, what the Merchants had 10 alledge, to prove the Suggeftions of their petition. It was ob- ferved, that, as foon as the debate was over, the Duke of Marlborough took the Earl of Wharton afide, and there palled fome warm expoftulations between them. The Commons, in a great meafure, made good Supply their affurances to the Queen, and chearfully voUod, that not only the Prince, but the Queen likewife concerned herfelf much in this matter ; anti both looked on it as a defign leve'led at their authority. Bo h Whigs a id Tories feemed to be at firfl equally zealous in the matter; but, by reafon of the oppoficion of the Court, all thofe, who intended to recommend rhem- felves to favour, abated of their zeal. Some were vehement in their endeavours to baffle the complaints. Tney had great advantages from the Merchants rnnnagi g tlvii compl.in cs but poorly; fo me were frignted, and others were pradtifed upon, and carried even to magni y the conduct of the fleet, and to m.,ke ex- ufes for all the misfortunes that had happened. That, which had the chief operation on the whole Tory par¬ ty, was, that it w'as let round among them, that the defign of all thefe complaints was to pu the Earl of Orford again at the head of the fleet : Upon which they all changed their note, and they, in concurrence with thofe, who were in offices, or pretended to them, managed the mat¬ ter fo, that it was let fall veiy little to their ho- • nour; and fevere remarks were made on fome, who had changed their conduct upon their being preferred at Court. The affair was profecuted with more zeal and courage in the Houle of Lords. The Com mi tee appointed to examine the complaints, called the Merchants, who had figned the peti¬ tion, before them, and treated hem not with the fcorn, that was very indecently off red them by fome of the Houfe of Commons,, bui with great patience and gentlenefs. They obliged them to prove all their complaints by wicneffes upon oath. In the profecutim of the inquiry it appeared, that many fhips of war were not fitted out to be put to fea, bur I ,y in port neg- kdied, and in great decay: That convoys had b j en often flatly denied the Merchants; and that, when they were promife’d, they were fo lon°- delayed, that the merchants loft their markets^ were put to great charge, and, when they had peri (liable goods, buffered great damage in them. The cruifers were not ordered to proper ftations in the Channel ; and when convoys were ap¬ pointed, and were ready to put to fea, the y had not their failing or iers fenr rhem, till the ene¬ mies fhips were laid in their wiy, prepared :o Call on them ; which ha 1 often happened. Many advertifements, by which thofe misfortunes might have been prevented, had bn near ten millions iince; and therefore it evidently follows, that your Miniftry have been the occafion of thole Ioffes. L W k 41 170;. 7 heir com• pin 1 nli ex¬ amined by the Lords. 42 iyo 7 . Jan. 8. The HISTORY of lefled by them, but thofe, who offered them, had been ill treated for doing it. The Com¬ mittee made a report of all this to the Houfe of Lords; upon which the Lord-Treafurer moved, that a copy of the report mighc be fent to the Lord-Admiral, which was done, and, in a few days, an anfwer fent to the Houfe, excufing or juftifyingthe conduct of the Admiralty in all the branches of it. The chief foundation of the anfwer was, that the great fleets, which were kept in the Mediterranean, obliged them to fend fo many of the (hips and feamen thither, that there was not a fufficient number left to guard all the trade, while the enemy turned all their forces at fea into fquadrons for deftroying it; and that all the fhips, that could be fpared from the public fervice abroad, were employed to fecure the trade. That thepromife of con¬ voys had often been delayed by reafon of crofs winds, and other accidents, that had hindered the return of the men of war longer than had been expeded, they being then abroad, convoy¬ ing other Merchant-fhips: And it was faid, that there was not a fufficient nunber of (hips for cruifers and convoys both. The paper ended with fome fevere reflections on the laft Reign, in which great fums had been given for the build¬ ing of (hips, and yet the fleet was at that time much diminilhed, and four thoufand Merchant- lhips had been taken during that war. This was believed to have been fuggefted by Mr. Se¬ cretary Harley , on deflgn to mortify King IVtl- liam’s Mimftry. Upon reading of this anfwer, a newer and fuller examination of the particulars was again refumed by the fame Committee ; and all the allegations in it were exadly confidered. It appeared, that the half of thofe feamen, whom the Parliament had provided for, were not employed in the Mediterranean ; that many Ihips lay idle in the Port, and were not made ufe of; and that in the laft war, in which it ap¬ peared there were more feamen, though not more fhips, employed in the Mediterranean than were now kept there, yet the trade was fo care¬ fully looked after by cruifers and convoys, that few complaints were then made. And as to the reflections made on the laft Reign, it was found, that not one half the fum, that was named, was given for the building of fhips; and, that in- ftead of the fleet’s being diminifhed during that war, as had been affirmed, it was increafed by above forty fhips; nor could any proof be given, that four thoufand fhips were taken during that ENGLAND. Vol. IV. (l) It was dated on the 25th of February , 1707-8, and began thus: “ We yourMajefty’s moft dutiful and obedient Sub- “ je£ts, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parlia- 511,734 08 the fleet, »-- ** The Duke of Savoy's fpecial fcvice in ^ Complcatinu; the payment ot the ) Hefftam, JLI_ J 22 ’957 ° The fortifications at Gibraltar, - 12,284 19 6 which was a colledion of incoherent and unin- telligible jargon, and (hewed the authors of them to be men thoroughly infatuated. But ic being fufpeded by tome, that there was a mixture of defign and artifice in the affair, Marion, John Daude , and Facio, were indided and profecuted at the expence 01 ah the French Churches in Lon¬ don, as diflurbcrs of the public peace, and falfe prophets ; and received their lentences at the Court ot Queen’s-Bench, to (land twice on a fcaffold with a paper denoting their offence ; to pay a fine of twenty marks each, and to give fecurity for their good behaviour for one year. According to this lenience they were expoied on ^ ec ^ ^ a lcaffold at Charing-Crojs and the Royal- ' * Exchange. A1 this time two difeoveries were made, very Difcove- unlucky for Mr. Harley. Mailhal Fallard wrote rie ‘ °f a often to Monfieur Cbamtliard, bin he fent his “Zffzaitb letrers open to the Secrctai y’s Office, to be per- France, ufed and lealed up, and lo to be conveyed by the way ot Holland. l hele were opened upon \ uro P e ' ■ r, a j . r r Burnet, lome luipicioh in Holland ; and it appeared, due one, 1.1 the Secretary’s Office, pui letceis in them, in winch, as he offered his lervice to the Cour s of France and St. Germains, lo he gave an account ot all crantadiona here. In one of thefe he lent a copy of the letter, which the Queen was to write, in her own hand, to the Emperor •, and he marked what parts of the lencr were drawn by the Secretary, and what additions were made to it by the Lord-Treafurer. This was me letter, by which the Queen prefled the fending Prince Eugene into Spain ; and this, it not intercepted, would have been at Verfailles many days beiore it could reach Vienna. He, who lent this, wrote, that by this they might fee what fervicc he could do them, if well en¬ couraged. All this was fent over to the Duke of Marlborough •, and upon fearch it was found to be writ by Mr. William Gregg, whom Mr. Harley had not only entertained as a Clerk in his office, but likewile taken into a particular con¬ fidence, without inquiry into the lormer parts of his life ; for he was a vii ;ous and neccfiitous per- fon. He had been Secretary to Mr. Gregg , when Refi ient from King William 10 the Court ot Denmark, a.id afterwards to Mr. Vernon, En¬ voy to the lame Court, by whom he was dif- mified, for his ill condud (2). Mr. Harley had made The payment of one year one quar--> j ter’s intereft upon debentures, r °’334 J 9 A ftore-houfe, and wharf at Portf- > mouth, ■— -^ 10,000 00 O Circulating Exchequer bills, — 3,500 00 O Tranfporting land-forces, - 144,000 00 o The land-ordnance, —- — 120,000 00 o HISTORY of ENGLAND. . made ufe of him to get intelligence in Scotland in 1705, and came to trull him with the perufal and fealing up of the letters, which the French prifoners, here in England , lent over to France, and by that means he got into the method of t -o fending intelligence. He, when feized on, an dir fed e ^^ er u P°n remorfe, or the hopes ot pardon, Jan. 19. confefled all, and figned his confeffion; upon which he was tried at the Seflions in the Old Bally , where an indictment of high-treafon was read againlt him, importing, “ That he had fent letters to Monlieur Chamillard , one of ‘ the French King’s prime Minifters, particu- ‘ larly one, dated the 28th of November lad; c and others, wherein were inclofed the pro¬ ceedings of both Houfes of Parliament, in re¬ lation to the augmentation of our forces j a copy of a letter from the Queen to the Emperor ; private bufinefs fent the Duke “ of Savoy , &V.” To which indictment, Gregg having pleaded guilty, the Lord Chief- Jullice Holt, and moll of the Judges being prefent, the Recorder pronounced fentence of death a- gainft him, as in cafes of high treafon. Valiere At the fame time John Bara and Alexander and otben Valiere (alias John Clarke) were alfo committed apprehend - t0 Newgate for correfponding with the enemy ; and Mr. Claude Baud , a native of Piedmont , and Secretary to Count Brian f on, Envoy Ex¬ traordinary from the Duke of Savoy , was appre¬ hended, at the requefl of that Minifler, by war- 1707-8. rant from the Earl ot Sunderland, for traitcrous * practices againll her Majelty and Government ; but the lame night, as the two Melfengers, who had him in cuflody, were carrying him to New¬ gate, he made his cfcape from them. But being followed by the Queen’s proclamation, wherein a reward of two hundred pounds was promifed for dilcovering and fecuring him, he was, with¬ in two hours alter, betrayed by a French Tay¬ lor, in whole houfe he had taken fanCtuary, and put under the cultody of a MelTcnger. Valiere and Bara, who had been both employed by Mr. Harley as his fpies, to go often over to Calais, under pretence of bringing him intelli¬ gence, vvere informed againft as lpies employed by France to get intelligence from England. They carried over many letters to Calais and Boulogne -, and, as was believed, gave fuch infor¬ mation of our trade and convoys, that, by their means, the nation lultained fuch gre.it Ioffes at lea. They were often complained of upon fufpi- cion, but were always protected by Mr. Harley ■, yet the prefumptions againll them were fo vio¬ lent, that they were at lalt feized on, and brought up prifoners. A Committee of feven Lords were appointed yin exami- to examine Mr. Gregg, but could nor find ou t nation inn much by him (1.) He had but newly begun the r car ' his defigns of betraying fecrets, and he had no dj™.' afiociates In this Gregg fends to Monficur Chamillard a copy of the Queen’s letter, written with her own hand to the Emperor. In the fame letter Gregg takes notice of two letters fent by him to Monlieur Chamillard, the one dated the 24th, and the other the 28th of Odober lad, which he underltood Robineau had put into his hands. That percei'- ing by Robineau’s letter to his Mailer, that Monfieur Chamillard delired the Marlhal’s fenti- xnents of Gregg, Gregg had himfelf written to him. In expectation of his anfwer Gregg flattered himlelf, that the paper, then fent, was of that importance, that there could be no longer doubt of the devotednels of a Scottijhman for France ; not to fpeak of his zeal for the fervice of his Prince, who had found refuge there. That the lines, under which he had drawn a flroke, were the thoughts of the Lord-Treafurer, which he had added with his own hand to the firlt draught of the letter. The fame letter contained fome other news. II. There was a copy of a letter, dated the 25th of November, O. S. in the fame packet, fubfcribed JVtlliam Gregg , in which notice is taken of what Ro¬ bineau writes to Monfieur Tallard concerning him ; and that he himfelf had written to the Marlhal, and defired Robineau to deliver the inclofed according to the addrefs, as being of great confequcnce. III. The copy of a letter from Marfhal Tallard to Robineau, dated the 10th of September, N. S. in which Monfieur Tallard fays, that as to the letters, of which Robineau made mention in his of the 25 th and 28th of November, that he had delivered them according to the addrefs. Monfieur Tallard knew nothing of their contents, but by the fame poll, which brought his letters. That he was obliged for the offers, but could make no ufe of them while he was a prifoner. When the peace was made, he would give proof of his acknow¬ ledgment to him, who made the offers, and would en¬ deavour to engage the perfon, to whom the letters were addreffed, to do the fame. In the interim Robi¬ neau was to tell the perfon, to whom he delivered the letters, for whom the Marlhal had the utmoll confi- deration, that he was much obliged to him for defiring to know his thoughts, before he would determine what to do : That the offers made did not fuit with the pre¬ fent times, at leaft as to him, (sV. IV. An original letter, of the 2d of December, 1707, to Mr. Robineau from Gregg, to felicitate him for be¬ ing delivered from an importunate man, as would ap¬ pear by Marfhal Ta/lard’s letters, unlefs his lail to Monfieur Chamillard had not made him determine otherwife. V. A Copy of another letter of Gregg to Monfieur Chamillard, dated the 23d of December, O. S. which was alfo taken in Marlhal Tallard ’s packet, in which he pretends to give Monfieur Chamillard an account of what palled in Parliament, with the Queen’s anfwer to the addrefs of the two Houfes, and his excufe for not fending the addrefs itfelf. VI. A letter of Robineau to Monfieur Tallard, the 26th of December, N. S. from Paris (tranferibed by Gregg in his own hand) in which he fays, he was go¬ ing to Verfailles to deliver the anfwer, with which he was charged ; that he received every port letters from the fame perfon, and that he took care to deliver them according to the addrefs. VII. Another of the 30th of December 1707, N. S. that he had been to deliver, as Monfieur Tallard had charged him, the anfwer to which was delired of Mr. Tallard. VIII. Another letter in Gregg’s hand, dated the 30th of December 1707, found in Gregg’s clofet, writ¬ ten to Monlier Chamillard, giving an account of the intention to fend Mr. Palmer to Savoy, and to take feveral other German Courts in his way. X. A confeffion of Gregg delivered to the Lords of the Committee, and figneii by him. (r) They w-ent to Newgate to him for that purpofe, on the 12th of February 1707-8, and acquainted him, “ That as the crime, of which he Hood attainted, “ was of the molt heinous nature, fo there were fome “ circumftances fo extraordinary, which attended his “ cafe, that the Houfe of Lords thought it might be “ of fervice to her Majelty and the Kingdom, to “ have all the beginning and progrefs of his treafon- “ able correfpondence fully laid open -. That her Ma- “ jelly, upon the application of that Houfe, had or- “ dered all former examinations and papers concerning “ him Book XXVI. 29. ANN E. j707-8. affodiates with him in if. He told them, that all the papers of date lay fo carelefsly about the office, that every one belonging to it, even rhe Door-keeper, might have read them all. Mr. Harley’s cuftom was to come to the office late on poll nights ; and after he had given his or¬ ders, and wrote his letters, he ufually went away, and left all to be copied out, when he was gone. By that means Mr. Gregg came ro lee every thing, in particular the Queen’s letter to the Emperor. He laid, he knew the defign on !Toulon in May , but did not difcover it; for he had not entered on his ill practices till October, This was all he could fay. By the examination of Valiere , Bara, and of many others, who lived about Dover , and were employed by them, a difcovery was made of a conftant intercourfe they were in with Calais, under Mr. Harley's pro¬ tection. They often went over with boats full of wool, and brought back brandy, though both the import and export were feverely pro¬ hibited. They, and thofe who belonged to the boats carried over by them, were well treated on the French fide at the Governor’s houfe, or at the Commiffary’s} and were kept there till their letters could be fent to Paris, and . till returns could be brought back ; and were all the while upon free-coft. The order, that was conflantly given them, was, that, if an Englifh or Dutch fh ip came up to them, they ffiould call their letters into the lea j but that they ffiould not do it, when French ffiipscame up to them ; fo that they were looked upon by all on that coajt as the /pies of France. They ufed to get wine inlormation they could, both of merchant ffiips, and of the fhips of war, that lay in the Downs ; and upon that they ufually went over ; and it happened* that foon after fome of the ffiips were taken. Thefe men were P.tpills, and behaved them- felves very infolently, and boalted much of their power and credit. Complaints had been often made of them, but they were always pro¬ tected j nor did it appear, that they ever brought any information of importance to Mr. Ilarlcy but once, when, according to what they fwore, they told him, that Monfieur Fourbin was gone from Dunkirk, to lie in wait for the RttJJia fleet; which proved to be true ; for he both went to watch for them, and took a great part of them. Yet, though this was the Angle piece of intel¬ ligence, that they ever brought, Mr. Harley took lo little notice of it, that he gave no ad- vertifement to the Admiralty concerning it. This particular excepted, they only brought over common news, and the Paris Gazettes. Thefe examinations laded for fome weeks •, and, when they were ended, a full report was made of them to the Houle of Lords, who ordered the whole report, with all the examinations, to be laid before the Queen in an addrefs, importing, “ That having been informed, that William Gregg, a Clerk in the office of the late Se- “ cretary Mr. Harley , had been indiCted for “ high- “ him to be laid before them. They told him fur- “ ther, that if he, by a true, ingenuous, and full con- “ felfion, would deferve it, he might have ground to “ hope, the Houfe of Lords might intercede in his beha f “ for mercy from her Majefty, which otherwife he had “ no reafon to look for. He was alfo told, that, being “ a man of underftanding, he was not to expeCt to “ be asked queltions, but was to give an account of “ himfelf, when, and how he became firft employed ; “ when, and by what inftigation he was drawn in to “ correfpond with the Queen’s enemies j and how far “ it proceeded.” He faid, That one Mr. Gregg, the late King’s Re¬ cent at Copenhagen , was his kinfman, and fent for him thither ; and he continued with him about three years till his death, which happened about two months before the late King died. That Mr. Vernon was fent Envoy to Denmark, and took him, whom he found there, into his fervice, in which he continued about two years and an half, and then he was difeharged from his fervice by Mr. Vernon. Mr. Vernon coming for England about his private af¬ fairs, while Gregg was in hi- fervice, and (laying here fome time, in that interval Gregg received fome let¬ ters from Mr. Secretary Harley , which gave him occa- Ixon after to apply to him. The 9th of December 1704, Gregg came to England, and foon made application to Mr. Secretary Harley for employment, but was not recommended to him by any body. The 3d of January he faw him firft at his office, where he attended often. The 5 th of February 1704-5, Mr. Jones, the Se¬ cretary’s firft Clerk, came to him, and told him, the Secretary would fpeak with him. He attended on the Secretary the lame day, who asked him, If he would be willing to be employed in his own Country ? Gregg faid, He was willing to be fent upon any good errand.. Mr. Secretary told him, It was to give an account of the proceedings of the enfuing Parliament, which was to be held under the Duke of Argyle, Numb. LVI. Voi.. IV. The 6th of February he went to the office, and Mr. Secretary told him he ffiould be difpatched in a few days. To make fome trial of him (as he fuppofed) Mr. Secretary a^ked him, If he could give an account of the Court of Denmark ? Gregg laid. He was willing to do it as well as he could ; and, accordingly, in fome time drew up a ftate of that Court, and it was not dif- approved. He attended daily, and, on the 20th of April, Mr. Secretary Harley gave him a note of twenty pounds, to be paid by his Steward in Scotland yard. On the 23d of May 1705, he was ordered to go for Scotland, and about a week after fet forwards on his journey. When he was difpatched , a note of thirty pounds was given to him. Mr. Secretary always amufed him with telling him, he ffiould have inftrudtions for his directions in Scot¬ land ; but, at laft, ordered him to draw up fome que¬ ries himfelf about the ftate of affairs in Scotland j which he did, and they were approved. Some of the queries were, What were the defigns of the feveral parties? What correfpondence between the Highlands and St. Germains ? How ,’’ ^ obtaini "g a pafij and that his firil letter was the 24th of OSlcbir Iaft. from his firft entering into the Offic he had alwavs a great hand in perufing the French prifoners letters Wm t ,he 0 te V m e pS n : PPOrtUnitJ '’ ^^ gare The French prifoners letters came under a general cover, directed to Mr. Lewi,. Marfhal Canard's let- wavsT ? 3 flymg feal s thc reft ° f 'b™ came al¬ ways fealed, but are opened at the Office. , Mr -f-tw/V threw them down on the table, and left the perilling them to the Clerks, to Mr. Mam and Gregg ; and, fince Mr. Mam left the Office, they have been trufted wholly to Gregg. y r J f ° brerved a "y thing, that he thought mate¬ rial, he made an extrafl of it, and (hewed it to the Secretary or Under-Secretary. He mentioned a par- ticular extraift he had made out of a letter of Mr. Cha- miliard to Mr. c lallard. Letters came from Nottingham every poll; fome- r-y-t came to them in a day from i rm “- . Thef f came always fealed. From the time he came into the Office, thefe letters were never per- ’a f lt ^ er , th= Secretary or Under-Secretary; which he is fure of, becaufe they were fealed when he looked on them. He cannot for that reafon fay, but Mr. Lew,, might fometimes look into Mr. Tallard's hecaufe that had a (lying feal; but the reft were perufal aSthcycame b y Mr. Lewis to the Clerks Gregg faid, he had a difpute with Mr. Lewis upon the account of thefe letters, Gregg declaring, he hought ,t not to be a buf.nefi fit for the Under-Clerks to be trufted with. Mr. Secretary Harley wrote a letter in anfwer to one from Monfieur Pantchartrain, thankinv him for his civility to one Middleton. In transcribing it, Gregg found it fo ill-turned, and the Ft inch bad, that he acquainted the Secretary with it at eleven o clock at night in October Iaft. This letter was (lopped; but after Mr. Lewi, fent it away as it was wrote at firft. ' The rough draught of the Queen’s letter to th Em- left"’ W rr°t. r l ere ? by the Botd-Treafurer, was left in the pubhek book of the Office, to be entered the fame night it was to be fent away. There Gregg of the nT a " d k tranlbdbcd it, and any other Ckfk of the Office might have done it as well as he. All the books in the Office lie in a preft; the key is always in the door ; and not only the Clerks, but the Chamber-keepers may have accefs. All letters, except thole wrote to thc Duke of Marl¬ boro,,gh, are entered in the books ; but thole arc only copied m loofe ftieets. Gregg faid he had copied many The draught of tile Queen’s letter to the Emneror was prepared by Mr. Lewis; it was then wiS, in the hand of Mr. nomas, Mr. Harley's domcftic P er , k; ' be addition was in the Lord-Treafurer’s own toGr*t M Tf & ”'lf aW ' taSWel1 asGr ®' Mam ^ to Gregg, That what was added by the Lord-Trea hirer was much the bnghteft part of the letter. Gregg faid, he fent all his letters to Frame under the Of the He OWned he fent ,he copy nlh, t?-“ e o nS 'T t0 Mr ' Chamillard the fam£ pmor hC S etKr lVaS d:f P atctleli t0 the Em- Gregg faid further, that the letter in the Queen’s own hand was given to Gregg by Mr. Secretar/him- fclf about one o clock at night, and he was foUv j„ trufted to put it up in Sir Philip Meadows's packet, after every body had left the Office. V ,ter Rabin,an, in his letter to Mr. Gregg, took that he had delivered his letters to Monfieur Cbanul- lard, and that Monfieur Chamillard fent t-n a t wth Marfhal 1 Tallard upon Gregg’s propofal. ref f° n u , ?. r f® wrote a letcer t0 Marfhal Tallard of which he faid he had no copy, but pretended to re’ peat the words of the letter to the Lords Committees. 1 he Lords Committees told Gregg , it would be „ peeled by the Houfe, that he (houlf be v "y dear and particular declaring by what advice or inco^tage- “ f „ be S" facha “rcefpondence. He laid, and the h r HC WaS temi>Kd “ iE b 7 tb c devil, and the hopes of getting money. He faid, that, upon hearing a French petiwiv-ma- ker was committed to AiwjfiMe for high-treafon, he hadI defired to be admitted again to the Lords of the Cabinet-Council. But he would not own, that he knew the man, but faid, he had fince heard his name was Valtere or Clarke ; he was told to by a Gentlewo- man, who came to fee him lince his condemnation. tie laid he held no correfpondence in England, but only in fending the common letter of the Office, with other printed news-papers, to fome Gentlemen. Gregg faid, he had been long acquainted with one Crookjhanks, who promifed him, that, if he would pro¬ cure a French pafs, he fhould have two hundred gui- neas ; and Gregg undertook to procure the pafs wrote t0 Mr - tba Brown, a Merchant, father-in-law to GrooUhanks t and one Bellinger, a Merchant, were acquainted with this “ with much charge and trouble interrupted, “ and in good meal'ure fuppreffed, would be tc revived to a greater degree than ever. To this addrels the Queen returned an ari- fwer, “ That the was lorry, that any, who had « been employed bythofe in her lerviee, Ihould “ have proved talle to their trull, and injurious “ to the public. That flie doubted not, the ex- “ ampler, laid before her by their Lordllups, “ would be a fufficient warning to keep all mat- “ ters of importance as iecret as might be, and " to employ tuch only, as there Ihould be good “ grounds to believe would be faithful. After the prefenting of this addrels, Gregg The HISTORY cf ENG LAM D. Vol. IV. was refpied about a month longer, but, Hill re- 1707-S. fufing to make any farther dilcoveries, he wcls executed at Tyburn on the 28th of April 1708. He left a paper with the Sheriff (1), whereih he entirely cleared Mr. Harley ; though fome fufpedted that Gentleman to be the contriver ot that paper, and afcribed the compofednefs, which appeared in Gregg s countenance, till he came to the place of execution, to a firm expectation, which he was made to entertain, of a reprieve and others gave out, that he complained. That there was no trujl in man while, on the other hand, the feven Lords of the Committee, ap¬ pointed to examine him, were afterwards re¬ proached this agreement about the pafs, and they dined together at Brown’s houfe ; and Brown undertook for the mo¬ no , n the pals could be prt cured. faid, he acquainted Bellinger of his having fent a "copy ol the Queen’s letter to Mon lieu r Chanul- hr. : , at the Crcfs Key, Tavern in Covcnt-Garden, and the wed him extracts of Marfhal Ta Hard’s and Robi- letters. He faid alfo, that he read the extratfs of their letters at another time in Englijh to Brown and Creohfranks. The Lords Committees asked him, To what end he told Bollinger of what lie had done, 111 lending the Queen’s 1 : 1 . ' k 0,1 ty ‘- llL k It was downright madnefs. The Lords Committees asked 1 dm, If any body came to him ? he laid, One Mr. Arbutlmt came to lum, and no body elle , and his bufmefs was to bring him charity. The Lords Committees asked Mr, Gregg, It he had no more to acquaint their Lordfinps with ? he laid, No. And being told by them, that it concerned him very much to confider of it; that the Lords had ob- Icrvcd he told them nothing but what he knew they in 1 Hy informed of, without his faying any thing; and how hard it would be for the Houfe cf Lords to believe, that he would venture upon fuch a correfpondence without feme fup- port or encouragement; he perlifted in it, that he had no more to fay. As the Lords Committees were rifen up, and had ■ to take \ lr. Gt away, he took a brown paper out ol his pocket, which was foaled up, and took out cf it a paper, which he faid had prepared again ft the Queen’s birth-day, and deli red the Lords tc»"read it. It purported to he a peti¬ tion to the Houfe of Commons. He pretended he vered, becaufe he conclu¬ ded. all the papers, fent by him, would be delivered to jVJ r. Sec re ta ry Ha> ley. The Lord-, finding the paper to be addre/Ted to the I Joule of Commons, told him, It was not proper for than to receive it, and delivered it immediately back to hum The Lords Committees, as they went away, told Crer?, that if he would recoiled himfelf, and fet down in writing any thing, that he thought might be for his c vn Kmee, or ofufe to the Queen and her Govern¬ ment, lie might fend it to them, and the Keeper fliould have directions to convey it lately. The next morning Gregg lent a letter to the Lords Committes, which, as faun as they had perilled, they returned to him again] by a Gentlman with the fol¬ lowing meflage: 0 The Lords of the Committee have ordered me « t.i return ti.i, paper to \»u, they being of opinion, to theexamination, tor which <-■ the-, were fent to you by the Houfe.” Lord. Committee think themfelves obliged to aiut the Houfe, that they did not obferve Gregg to b- undei any ciiforder or terror from the appiehenhon or ft 1 ile of his danger. in. Mnunt of Gregg for his treafonable cor- r r p uidencr with her Majefty’s enemies was broaght before the Lords Committees; which indiflment he confefled upon his trial, and judgment was thereupon given againft him. The Lords Committees do think it their duty to ac¬ quaint the Houfe, that they having been informed by means of the Keeper of Newgate , that one II ilham Gregg had been formerly in Newgate , and indicted for counterfeiting the coin of the Kingdom ; and that : prill that it was talked amongft the turnkeys ii this was the lame man, they fent to fearch die books in Newgate, and found there, that, in May 1697, William Gregg and Elizabeth Gregg were indeed tor countei foiling the coin. Thereupon they fent tor Mr. Tanner, who has the cuftody of thole records: lie brought the indictment before them ; and it appear¬ ed, that Elizabeth Gregg was found guilty and execu¬ ted ; but that William Gregg was acquitted ; and Tho¬ mas Holloway and Simon Newport were the witnefl'es at the trial, who, as was faid, are both dead fince that time. But one Thomas Kinferley and James Biddle decla¬ ring that they both knew that Gregg, who was then indifted, very well, and believed they fliould know him again, if they faw him ; the Lords Committees fent them feverally to fee William Gregg now in New¬ gate, and they both of them did declare, that they be¬ lieved and were confident, that the fame perfon, now in Newgate, was the fame Wiliam Gregg, who was then unfitted, and whole fuppofed wife was then found guilty, and burnt, and they did both of them volunta¬ rily make oath to this effett; and James Biddle (wore, that, after the trial, the difeourfe in the neighbour¬ hood was, that Elizabeth Gregg took the whole matter upon herfelf at the trial. Their two affidavits are laid before your Lordftiips. Alter one of thefe perfons had been to fee Wiliam Gregg, Wiliam Gregg wrote a letter, diredled to the Lords of the Committee, in which lie did very pofi- tively deny, that he was the perfon, who had been tried for coining in May 1697. (1) It was in thefe terms: “ The crime, I am now juflly to fuffer for, having made ju great noife in the world, a paper of more than ordinary length will be expe&ed from the cri¬ minal, who therefore takes this laft opportunity to ■ profefs his utter abhorrence and fincere repentance 1 of all his fins againft God, and of all the heinous 1 crimes committed againft the Queen, whole for- ; givenefs I moft heartily implore, as I fliall heartily ‘ pray for her Majefty’s long Life and happy Reign < over her united people, and fuccefs againft her ene- ‘ mies, with my parting breath. “ This is all the fatisfa&ion I can poffihly make in- c jured Majefty. I declare, in the next place, the ‘ reparation I would make, were it in my power, to C thofe ot her Majefty’s fubjects I have wronged in c any kind, and particularly the right Honourable ‘ Robert Harley , Efq; whofe pardon I heartily beg 1 for bafely betraying my truft ; which declaration, it though, of itfelf, fufficient to clear the faid Gentle- yet, for the fake of thofe, whom it was my misfortune not to be able to fatisfy in my life-time “ I do WSBmBSSmBSSBBat HU Book XXVI. Sp. Barnet. Pr- H. C. 3707-8. proached with having endeavoured to fuborn Gregg, and engage him, by a promife of par¬ don, to accufe Mr. Harley (t). tnquiri During thefe proceedings, an enquiry into into the the affairs of Spain was begun in both Houfes. aj.urs of £ ar i 0 f Peterborough had received luch po- fitive orders for recalling him, that, though he delayed as long as he could, yet at laft he came home in Augufi 1707 ; but the Queen, before ihe would admit him into her prefence, re¬ quired of him an account of fome particulars in his conduct, in military matters, in his nego¬ tiations, and in the difpofal of the money re¬ mitted to him ; to which he made fuch general anfwers, as gave little fatisfaftion ; but 1'eemed to referve the matter to a Parliamentary exami¬ nation, which was now entered upon by both Houfes. All the Tories magnified his eonduft, and ffudied to detratt from the Earl of Galway ; but it was thought, that the Miniftry were un¬ der fome reftraints with relation to the Earl, though he did not fpare them ; which gave oC- cafion to many to fay, they were afraid of him, and durft not provoke him. The Whigs, on the other hand, made fevere remarks on his condu£t. The complaints, which King Charles of Spain made of him, were read j upon which he brought fuch a number of papers, and fo 1)707-8. many witneffes to the bar, to juftify his con- dud, that after ten or twelve days, fpent wholly in reading papers, and in hearing witnelfes, both Houfes grew equally weary of the matter ; fo that, without coming to any conclufion, or to any vote, they let all, that related to him, fall. But that gave them a handle to confider the prefent Hate of affairs in Spain in which it was found, that of the twenty-nine thoufand three hundred and ninety five Englijh forces, provided by Parliament, for the fervice of Spain and Portugal , in the year 1707, there was but eight thoufand fix hundred and fixty men in Spain and Portugal, at the time of the battle of Almanza (2), and that not above half the Of¬ ficers, who belonged to thofe bodies, ferved there.. This gave the Houfe of Commons a high diftafte ; and it was hoped by the Tories, that they Ihould have carried the Houle to fe¬ vere votes and warm addreffes on that head ; which was much laboured by them, in order to load the Miniftry. In this Mr. Plarley and his party were very cold and paffive ; and it was generally believed, that the matter w.is privately let on by them. The Commons, on the 5th of February , addreffed the Queen, defiring that fhe would [C I do facredly protelt, that, as I fhall anfwer it be- [{ fore the judgment-feat of Chrift, the Gentleman :c aforefaid was not privy to my writing to France di- ;t redly nor indiredly ; neither I, his unworthy “ Clerk, any ways acceflary to the mifcarriage before Toulon , nor the Ioffes by fea; all which happened t{ before the firft of my letters, which was writ the ;t 24th of October 1707. As for my Creditors, as I “ am in no condition to fatisfy them, fo I caineffly ;t beg, they would forgive me ; and I pray God to :c make up their Ioffes ieven-fold. “ For my part, I do freely forgive all men, and die ;t in perfect charity with them, not without humble hopes of finding forgivenefs, through the merits of ‘ Jefus Chrijl , with God, who in mercy touched my lC confidence fo powerfully from the beginning, as to ‘ prevent my proftituting the fame to fave my life j for ;c which inftance of his love, to be preferred before life itfelf, I blefs and magnify his holy name with un- “ fpeakable joy and comfort at my death, nothing near 1C fo ignominious as would have been luch a lile. “ After this occafion, the duty of a dying man leads me to profefs the Religion, in which I was ‘ brought up, and do now die, which is the Proteftant. « The fcandal given thereunto by my enormous prac- c tices cannot be better taken away, than by my pub- 1 lifhing to the world my hearty forrow for thofe fen- ‘ fual pleafures, which have proved my bane. Thcre- « fore let all, who fhall read this poor paper, take c warning by me to fhun the like youthful luffs; to ‘ which whoever gives up himfelf, cannot tell how c far they may, when indulged, carry him, even to c the committing fuch crimes, as he thought himfelf c incapable of fome time a day; of which truth I, 1 to my woeful experience, am a melancholy inftancei 1 But, at the fame time, I appeal to the Great God, 1 before whom I am going to appear, that, notwith- 6 {landing all the pains taken to make me out an old ‘ Offender, by faftening on me the crime of coun- : terfeiting the coin, this is the firft fault, that ever 1 I ventured upon; which was not out of any zeal 1 for the Pretender, whom I not only difown at my : death, but folemnly declare, that, in all my life, I ; never thought he had a right to thefe Realms, how ; foolifhly foever I may have rendered myfelf ob- [ noxious in this particular ; but the only motive of 1 my mad undertaking was money (of which I never : received any) on account of the lhip-pafs, though N 9 ,56. Vo l. IV. tc I have met with the more juft reward of fuch fe- “ cret fervices intended by William Gregg.” (1) Dr. Swift , in bis Examiners, has feveral paf- fages to this purpofe. In No. XXXII. for March 15, 1 710-11, he writes thus: “ And here it may be worth obferving, how “ unanimous a concurrence there is between fome “ perfons, once great in power, 3nd a French Papift “ [Guifcard J both agreeing in the great end of taking “ away Mr. Harley’s life, though differing in their “ methods; the firft proceeding by Subornation, the “ other by violence; wherein Guifcard feems to have “ the advantage, as aiming no further than his life, “ while the others defigned to deftroy, at once, both “ that and his reputation. The malice of both “ againft this Gentleman feems to have rifen from the “ fame caufe, his difeovering defigns againft the Go- “ vernment. It was Mr. Harley , who dete£led the “ treafonable corrcfpondence of Gregg , and fecured “ him betimes, when a certain Great Man, who fhall “ be namelefs, had, out of the depth of his politics, “ fent him a caution to make his efcape, which would ct certainly have fixed the appearance of guilt upon “ Mr. Harley ; but, when that was prevented, they “ would have inticed the condemned criminal with the “ promife of a pardon, to write and fign an accufa- “ tion againft the Secretary'. But, to ufe Gregg’s own “ expreffion, his death was nothing near fo ignominious , “ as woidd have been fuch a life, that mufl have been for the fervice of the year 1707, amounts / To make up which number, there were ini Spain , at the time of the battle of Alman¬ za , according to the return made by the j Earl of Galway to the Houfe of Com- V mons, befides a battalion of guards, three of marines, a detachment of Carpenter's and Ejfex' s dragoons, - —• J To which is to be added, the two regiments -s of foot of Colonel Hill’s and Sir Charles J Hot horn twice demanded for in the laid s eflimate, and therefore mult be once de- ( duded, making —■ — — J The Earl of Barrimore’s regiment, which 9 had been reduced by the Earl of Peterbo- ( rough , and was, at the time of the battle Q of Almanza , raifing in England ,- / The fervants of the Officers belonging to ^ the feveral regiments aduallv in Spain, f and not reduced at the time of the battle Q of Almanza, - --- v The widows men for all the regiments then 0 in Spain, as allowed by Ad of Parliament, $ The Earl of Galway having already taken - credit in his account, for the Officers and Servants belonging to the regiments of Farrington, Hamilton, Mohun , Brudenell, Allen, and Toby Caulfield , that were reduced fome time before the battle of Almanza, but ftill in Spain, there remains to be charged, in this account, the private men only of thofe regiments, whofe pay was flopped, and applied to their levying again in England that very year, - The Non-commiffion Officers, and private’ men of Blejfet’s regiment, which make a part of the twenty-nine thoufand, three hundred and ninety-five, and are not i charged in my Lord Galways account of • effedives, becaufe they were reduced by my Lord Rivers , and incorporated into Syburgh’s , — —■ — 22692 So there onlv remains, out of the twenty-nine thou* fan), three bundled, and n:nety-five men provided for Li/ gggg§SgSSill -3*71 *7■* ■ Book XXVI. 1707-8. as to run al! the contrary way. This was the fecrec motive ; yet this could not be owned in a public affembly ; and therefore that, which was pretended, was, that many great families in Scotland, with the greatelt part of the Highland¬ ers, were fo ill-affefted, that without a watchful eye, ever intent upon them, they could not be kept quiet. It lay at too great a diftance from London to be governed by orders fent from thence. To this it was anfwered, that by the circuits of the Judiciary Courts, and by Juftices of Peace, that Country might be well-govern¬ ed, notwithftanding its diftance, as Wales and Cornwal were. The bill had been carried in the Houfe of Commons by a great majority, that there Ihould be only one Privy-Council for the whole lftand. But, in the Houfe of Lords, it met with a confiderable oppofition. The Court flood alone ; all the Tories, and the much greater part of the Whigs, were for the bill. The Court, feeing the party for the bill fo ftrong, were whiling to compound the matter •, and whereas, by the bill, the Council of Scot¬ land was not to fit after the firft of May, the Court moved to have it continued to the firft of October. It was vifible, that this was propofed only in order to the managing elections for the next Parliament; for which reafon the Lords adhered to the day prefixed in the bill. But a new debate arofe about the power given by the bill to Juftices of Peace, which feemed to be an incroachment on the jurifdifiion of the Lords Regalities, and of the Hereditary Sheriffs and Stewards, who had the right of trying criminals, in the firft inftance, for fourteen days time; yet it was ordinary, in the cafes of great crimes and riots, for the Privy-Council to take immediate cognizance of them, without any regard to the fourteen days : So that by this aft the Juftices of Peace were only impowered to do that, which the Privy-Council ufually did ; and, ex¬ cept the occafion was fo great, as to demand a quick difpatch, it was not to be doubted, but that the Juftices of Peace would have gieat re¬ gard to all private rights. Yet, fince this had the appearance of breaking in upon private rights, this was much infilled on by thofe, who hoped, by laying afide thefe powers given to the Juftices of Peace, to have gained the main point of keeping up a Privy-Council in Scotland. For all the Scots Minifters faid, that the Coun¬ try would be in great danger, if there were not a fupreme Government ftili kept up in it. But it feemed an abfurd thing, that there (hould be a different Adminiftration, where there was but one Legiftature. While Scotland had an intire Legiflature within itfelf, the Nation affembled in Parliament could procure the correction of errors in the Adminiftration ; whereas now, that it was not a tenth part of the Legiflative body, if it was ftili to be kept under a different Ad¬ miniftration, that Nation could not have ftrength enough to procure a redrefs of its grievances in Parliament j by which means they might come to be fubdued and governed as a Province; And 1707-8. the arbitrary way, in which the Council of Scotland had proceeded ever fince King Janes the Firft’s time, but more particularly fince the Reftoration, was frefh in memory, and had been no final 1 motive to induce the bed men of that Nation to promote the Union, that they might be delivered from the tyranny of the Council ; and their hopes would be ftili difappoimed, if they were ftili kept under that yoke. This point was in conclufion yielded, and the bill paired by a majority of fifty Lords againft for¬ ty-five, though to the great difconcent of the Court _ There was a new Court of Exchequer created in Scotland, according to the frame of that Court in England. Special afts were made for the elefttons and returns of the Reprcfema- ttves in both Houfes of Parliament ; and fuch was the difpofitton of the Englijh to oblige them, and the behaviour of the Scots was fo dtfereet, that every thing, that was propofed for the good of their Country, was agreed ton Both Whigs and Tories vied with one anothe-, who fiiould! (hew mod care and concern for the wel¬ fare of that part of Great-Britain. On the nth of February there happened an Hurley important change in the Adminiftration : n Enr- T ui ‘i,and land for Mr. Henry Boyle, unde to the Ear! of 1 °/]'!’ Burlington, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, was made Secretary of State, in the room of 5 '""" Mr. Harley. Probably the affair of Grew, Fa- h ff "” m ’ here, and Bara, which in feme meafurefffetfted Mr. Harley s credit, made him more earned to bring about a change in the condutf: of affairs, in which he relied on the credit of the new fa- vourtte, Mrs. Majham. The Duke of Marl¬ borough, and the Lord-Treafurer, having difeo- vered many of his praftices, laid them before the Queen, who would believe nothing, that was fuggefted to his prejudice, frier Majelty denied, that (lie had given any authority for carrying meffages to the Tories ; but would not believe, that he or his friends had done it, nor , would fhe enter into any examination of his ill- condudt, and was uneafy, when fbe heard it jpoke of. Thefe Lords wrote therefore to the Queen, that they could ferve her no loncrer, if he was continued in that poll; and, on the Stm- daq following, when they were fummoned to a Cabinet Council, they both went to the Queen, and told her, that they muft quit her feTvice fince they faw, (he was refolved not to part with Mr. Harley. Her Majefty feemed not much concerned at Lord Godol r bin’s offering to ! a / Cl °' Vn ’ and was belie ' re rf to be a part of Mr. Harley’s new fcheme to remove him ; but fhe was much touched with the Duke of Marl¬ borough’s offering to quit, and ftudied, with fome foit expreffions, to divert him from that re- folution : But he was firm, and did not yield to them. Upon this they both went away, to the wonder of the whole Court. Immediately after, the Queen went to the Cabinet Council ; and Mr. Harley opened fome matters relating to fo¬ reign S ’ f eVEn hl,ndre’ hm thonfand, feven hundred and defefl. one Jr* r* / c T 6 ’ 10 lu PP‘y which ninety-two men, defetb one battalmn of guards, three of marines, CAT WAT and a detachment of dragoon, were fem to Spain, G A LIP AT (x) The MM giliisllftiiil iijlli i cii 5 6 The HISTORY of 1707*8. reign affairs. The whole Board was very uneafy; 1 the Duke of Corner Jet faid. That he did not fee how they could deliberate on fuch matters, fince the General was not with them. He repeated this with fome vehemence, while all the reft looked on fo cold and fullen, that the Cabinet Council was loon at an end ; and the Queen law, that the reft of her Minifters, and the chief Of¬ ficers, were refolved to withdraw from her fer- vice, if fhe did not recal the two, who had left it. It was faid, that fhe would have put all to the hazard, if Mr. Harley himfelf had not ap¬ prehended his danger, and refolved to lay down. The Queen lent the next day for the Duke of Marlborough , and, after fomeexpoftulations, fhe told him, that Mr. Harley fhould immediately leave his poft, which he did within two days. But the Queen feemed to carry a deep refent- ment of his and the Lord Godolphin* s behaviour on this occafion ; and, though they went on with her bufinefs, they found they had not her confi¬ dence. The Duchefs of Marlborough , for fome weeks, abflained from going to Court •, but af¬ terwards, that breach was made up in appearance, though it was little more than an appearance. Both Houfes of Parliament exprefi'ed a great concern at this rupture in the Court, and appre¬ hended the ill effects, which it might have. The Commons let the bill of Supply lie on the table, though it was ordered for that day. Upon Mr. Harley’s removal. Sir Simon Harcourt, the At¬ torney-General, Sir 'Thomas Manfell , Comptrol¬ ler of the Houfhold, and Mr. St. John, Secreta¬ ry at war, laid down likewife their ports (i). A defeeni A few days after this breach at Court, the defigned Nation was fuddenly alarmed with the news of upon Scot- an i nva f lon . The French King, to retaliate the Burnet. late attempt upon Toulon , refolved to carry the Hilt, of war into Great Britain, by fending the pre- Eur. tended Prince of Wales to Scotland with a fleet Pr. H. C. anc j arm y 9 t0 portefs himlelf of that Kingdom, ENGLAND. Voi. V-J being induced thereto by the hope given him, 1707-S. that the Scots were fo highly difeontented on ac¬ count of the Union , as to be ripe for a revolt, and ready to join him on his arrival amongft them. The neceflary preparations for the expe¬ dition were carried on at Dunkirk with all ima¬ ginable diligence, and with fuch fecrefy, that the defign was rather guefled at than known, March 7. till the Pretender himfelf let out from St. Ger- s - mains , when it was no longer a myfrery, that he intended to make a defeenc upon Scotland. The day before his departure, the French King went to St. Germains to take his leave of him, and wifh him fuccefs i prefen ted him with a fword inriched with diamonds of a confider.tble value, and deflred him always to remember, that it was a French fword. The Chevalier de St. George (for this was the name the Pretender affumed in this adventure) anfwered the compli¬ ment with affuring him, “ That, Jf it was his “ good fortune to get pofieffion of the Throne “ of his Ancertors, he would not content him- “ felf with returning him thanks by Letters and “ Ambafiadors, but would fhew his gratitude “ by deeds: Nay, he would come in perfon to “ acknowledge his Majefty’s proteftion and af- “ flftance.” To which the French King re¬ plied, He hoped ?iever to fee him again . Upon his arrival at Dunkirk , the Pretender was iur- nirtied with very fine tents, a large let of gold and filver plate of curious workmanlhip, deaths for his future life-guards, liveries for his houf¬ hold, and other neceffaries •, towards the charge of which, and of this armament, the Pope was faid to have contributed a confiderable lum of money (2). The Pretender’s motto upon the colours and rtandards were, Dieu & mon Droit , “ God and my Right :** Nil defperandum Chrijlo duce C? aujpice Chrijlo , “ 1 ought not to defpair, “ fince Chrift is my guide and helper:” And Cui vend U 5 mare obediunt , impera , Damme , & (x) The Duchefs of Marlborough , in the account of her Conduit, p. 252, &c. fpeaks of this affair in the following terms: The Duke of Marlborough and Lord Godolphin had often told the Queen in the mod refpeCt- ful manner, that it was impoflible for them to do h»r any fervice, while Mr. Harley was in her confidence. Her Majefty neverthelefs feemed determined not to part with him, till at length thofe two Lords, being urged by neceflity to it, declared their refolution to ferve no longer with him ; and they abfented them- felves from the Council. Mr. Harley would have proceeded to bufinefs without them, when the Coun¬ cil met ; but the Duke of Somerfet faid, he did not fee how it could be to any purpofe, when neither the General nor the Trcafurer was prefent; whereupon the Council immediately broke up. This had fuch an efteirtupon the Queen, that, very loon after, Mr. Har¬ ley was difmifled from his poft. Such a compliance with the Minifters feemed to the eye of the world a very great concefiion, but was in truth nothing, for it was evident by what followed, that this appear¬ ance of giving up Mr. Harley was with his own con- fent, and by his own advice, who, as long as Mrs. Mafham continued in favour, would, under pretence of viliting her, who was his Coufin, have all the op¬ portunities he could wifh for, of pradtifing upon the paffions and credulity of the Queen; and the method of correfponding with him had been fettled fome time before. — I was fully apprized of all this, continues the Duchefs ; yet I refolved to try, if by being eafy and quiet I could regain any. influence with her Majefty. She had given me feme encour. genjent to hope it. For when, a little before Mr. Harley's difmiflion, Lord Marlborough refolved to quit the fervice ; and when, on that occafion, I had with tears (which a tender concern at the thought of parting from her Majefty made me fhed) represented to her, that, it the Duke retired, it would be improper, and even impoflible for me to ftay at Court after him ; fhe declared, that fie could not bear the thought of my having her ; and that it mufl never be. And at that time fhe made me a pro- mife, that if ever I fhould leave her (which, fhe again faid, mujl never be) fhe would beftow my offices among my children. Nay, the Whigs had fome reafon to flatter themfelves about this time, that her Majefty would become better difpofed to them, than fhe had hitherto been. The Pretender’s attempt to land in Scotland, which happened about this time, gave her an alarm, that feemed to bring a conviction along with it, that the Whigs were the mojl to be depended upon for the fupport of her Government ; at leaft what fhe faid, in anfwer to the Lords addrefs upon the occafion, had this appearance. But as the danger prefently blew over, and as her fears ceafed with the caufe of them, fo all the hope, which the Whigs had raifed in themfelves from thofe fears, prefently vanifhed. (2) The French King wrote the following letter to the Pope, upon occafion of the Pretender’s expedition : Holy Father , “ The great zeal, which I have always had to re- ‘ cftablifh on the Throne of England King James 1 Stuart III, is well known to you; though there was “ not jocecvt^ Book XXVI 1707-8. The Com¬ mons ac¬ quainted with it. March 4. The ad- drefs of both Houfe. upon it. March r. fac trailfnllitatem \ “ Thou, Lord, whom the “ winds and fea obey, command, that it be “ calm.'* The preparations of the French at Dunkirk gave great uneafinefs to the States-General, who concerted with the Britijh Minifters the necefla- ry meafures for difpelling the dorm, which feem- ed to threaten her Britannic Majefty’s Domini¬ ons, of which they gave timely information to the Queen ; as did likewife her Envoy, Major- General Cadogan , who had early intelligence of the defign from a Jew redding at Dunkirk. Upon this Mr. Secretary Boyle acquainted the Commons, “ That her Majefty had command- “ ed him to lay before the Houfe feveral advices “ received the night before, and that morning, “ of great preparations at Dunkirk , for an im- “ mediate invafion upon England by the French, “ and of the pretended Prince of Wales's being “ come to Dunkirk for that purpofe.” The let¬ ters and extradls relating thereto being read, it was unanifnoufly refolved to prefent the follow¬ ing addrels to her Majefty, in which the Houfe ol Lords readily concurred. “ We your Majefty’s moft faithful and obe- “ dient Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Tem- 1 “ poral and Commons of Great-Britain in Par- “ liament aftembled, do beg leave to return our “ moft hearty thanks to your Majefty for be- “ ing gracioufly pleafed to communicate to “ your Parliament the intelligence you have re- “ ceived of an intended invafion of this King- “ dom by the pretended Prince of Wales , fup- “ ported by a French power. “ We are fo fenfible of the happinefs we “ enjoy under your Majefty, and are fo affeded “ with the dangerous confequences of fuch an “ attempt, both to your Perfon and Govern- “ ment, that, with hearts full of concern for “ your Majefty’s fafety, we befeech your Maje- “ rty, that you will be pleafed to take particular “ care of your Royal Perfon : And we, on our part, are fully and unanimoufly refolved to “ ftand by and aftift your Majefty with our “ lives and fortunes, in maintenance of your “ undoubted right and title to the Crown of thefe Realms, againft the pretended Prince “ of Wales , and all other your enemies both at “ home and abroad. “ The care your Majefty has taken for the ct defence of your Dominions, and particularly “ in fitting out fo great a fleet in fo fhort a time, gives fatisfadion and encouragement to “ all your good fubjeds, who are likewife very “ fenfible of the zeal the Slates-General have “ fhewn upon this occafion. “ As a farther inftance of our duty, we “ humbly defire, that you will be pleafed to or- “ der > that tIie Jaws againft Papifts and Non- “ J urors be put in execution ; and that direc¬ tions be given to feize and fecure fuch per- fons, with their horfes and arms, as your Majefty (hall have caufe to fufped are difaf- " feded to your Perfon and Government. And as we doubt not, but, by the bleffing of God upon the continuance of your Ma° “ jefty’s care, your enemies will be put tocon- “ fufion, fo we readily embrace this opportuni- “ ty, to ftiew to your Majefty and the whole world, that no attempts of this kind (hall de¬ ter us from fupporting your Majefty in a vi- “ gorous profecution of the prefent war againft “ France, till the Monarchy of Spain be refto- t ! ed ro tbe Houfe of Auftria, and your Ma- “ jefty have the glory to compleat the recovery “ of the liberties of Europe .” To this addrefs her Majefty was pleafed to anfwer in the following terms : My Lords and Gentlemen , ' K I bave ^uch intire dependance on the pro¬ vidence of God, and fo much truft in the “ faithful fervices of my good Subjeds, that 1 hope this attempt will prove dangerous only “ to thofe, who undertake it, “ I am extremely fenfible of your concern “ and affeftion for Me and my Government, and (hall have a very particular regard to the advice you give me upon this occafion. “ 1 am alfo ver y well pleafed with the juftice, “ which you have done the States-General,, in ‘‘ taking notice of their timely care for our “ iafety, and their readinefs to give us all pof- ble affiftance. ( The firm refolution, which you exprefs upon all occafions, of fupporting me in bring¬ ing this war to a fafe and happy conclufion ‘ as it is mod efientially obliging to me ; fo I ; affllre myfelf, it Will mightily difhearten our common enemies, and give the greaieft en- couragement and advantage to all our Allies.” 57 1707 The Parliament paired two bills; the one, that the abjuration might be tendered to all perfons and that fuch as refufed Ihould be in the condi¬ tion of convift recufants. By the other, tile Ha¬ beas Corpus aft was fufpended till October with relation to perfons taken up by the Government on fufpicion. The Pretender and his Adherents were proclaimed Traitors and Rebels. . Up™, M notice of the French armament Prefer- in Dunkirk, Major-General Cadogan repaired to tiom a ' Brujfels, and concerted with Monfieur d'Auvcr , querque the march of the Britijh forces to beS* (hipped off for Great-Britain, and how to fup- piy ‘ n °t hitherto a time proper for it, as well by reafon c of the conjunctures, as by the unity of my enemies, ‘ which did not give me leave to a£t in fo righteous a ‘ caufe °ur holy faith, the chief objeift of all our 1 adions. We have now thought good to let him ‘ de P ar t from our Royal feat, on the 7th of March, in order to embark himfelf on board”a fleet, where £ every thing has been prepared for him, with fuffl- ‘ cient forces to eftablifli him on the Throne, after he (hall have been received on his arrival by the ‘ faithful people of Scotland, and proclaimed as their No. 56. Vol. IV. “ true and lawful King. I have thought it fit not to “ omit fending you this important news, that by your “ ardour the Union of our Holy Mother the Church “ may increafe in that Kingdom, and that God may “ profper him, whilft the time is favourable. It is “ now, Holy father, your bufinefs to accompany him “ by your zeal with your holy benediftions, which I “ alfo ask for myfelf; and I remain, Holy Father, “ your moft loving Son. Verfailles, March 9, 1708. P m : 5S 'a ;■ HISTORY of ENGLAND. ply their room in their feveral garrifons. From Bruffels he went to Ghent ; and having conferred with General Lurnley , the Governor of that place, and Commander in chief of the Britifj troops, orders were given to ten battalions, one of the guards, two of Orkney's, one of Argyle's, one of Primrofe' s, one of Lalo's , one of Howe's , one of Ingoldefby's, one of North and Grey's, and one of Godfrey's, to hold themfelves in readinefs to march at an hour’s warning. This done, Cado- gan repaired to OJlend, to forward the prepara¬ tions, which, by his early directions, were ma¬ king there for the embarking of thole regi¬ ments, as foon as there fhould be certain advice, that the twelve French battalions, that were to attend the Pretender in his expedition, were ac¬ tually on board. On the other hand, the Ad¬ miralty of Great-Brilain fitted out a fleet with fuch incredible diligence, that (without dimi- nifhing the convoy provided for the Lijbon fleet, which confided of twelve Britijh , and live Dutch men of war, under the command of Sir John Leake,) Sir George Byng and the Lord Durfley failed from Deal towards the coaft of Dunkirk, on the 27th of February, 0 . S. in the morning, with twenty three Britijh and three Dutch men of war, and one Britijh. fire-fhip. "1 he fame day, about noon, Sir George Byng came to an anchor in Gravelin Pits ; and, immediately af¬ ter, went into a fmall frigate, and failed within two miles of Flemijh Road, from whence he had a prol'peCt of the fhips that lay there; and, the next day, learned from a fifherman, taken off the fhore, the number and flrength of the ene¬ my’s fhips ; that about ten thoufand men were in and about Dunkirk, ready to imbark ; that they expeCted every day feveral fhips from Breft •, and that the Pretender was come to Gra¬ velin in his way to Dunkirk where he arrived on the 9th of March, N. S. in the morning. The French , who imagined that Admiral Leake might by this time have failed for Lijbon , and confcquently, that Great-Britain was unpro¬ vided of flipping, were fo confident of the meafures they had taken, that they publickly boafted, That God alone could difappoint their defigns. But fo great was their furprize, upon the Britijh fleet’s appearing off Mardyke, that a flop was put to the imbarkation of their troops, and frequent exprefies were difpatched to Paris for new orders. The Count de Fourbin, who commanded the enemy’s fquadron, having re- prefented to the French King, that he might in¬ deed get out of Dunkirk harbour, and perhaps land the troops ; but that he could not anfwer Vol. IV. for his Majefty’s fhips (1); that Monarch, who 1707-8. was fully determined on this expedition, fent him pofitive orders to reimbark his troops, and to put to fea with the firfl: fair wind. In the mean time, the enemy gave out, that their dif- embarking of the troops at Dunkirk was upon account of the Pretender’s being indifpofed with the meafles, attended with an ague ; but, as foon as the French King’s laft orders came, that pretence vanifhed ; the Prince was faid to be perfectly recovered ; and Count Fourbin having, on the 14th of March , N. S. received advice from Boulogne , that the Britijh fleet, being forced from their ftation by high winds, was feen off that place, fleering, on the 12th, for the Downs, they began, at two in the afternoon, to reim- barlc their forces. The wind turning fair for them on the 17 th of March, N. S. they took that opportunity, and failed at four in the after¬ noon from the road of Dunkirk bur, the wind changing about ten at night, they were obliged to come to an anchor in Newport-Pits •, where they continued till the 19th, at ten in the even¬ ing, when, the wind changing, they fet fail again, fleering their courfe for Scotland. On the other hand, the fleet under the command of Sir George Byng, which came back into the Downs the fj of March , and was fince reinforced to the number of above forty men of war of the line of battle, befides frigates and firefhips, fet fail again the A on a fignal given by one of the fcouts, who obferved fix fhips to the weft- ward, fuppofed to be the Brejt fquadron. On the-Ath, at ten in the morning. Sir George Byng, who was then between Dunkirk and Calais, re¬ ceived intelligence by an OJlend fliip, fent out by Major-General Cadogan , of the failing of the Dunkirk fquadron from Newport-Pits : Upon which he called a Council of war, and accord¬ ing to the refolution taken in it, failed imme¬ diately in purfuit of the enemy •, having firfl made a detachment of a ftrong fquadron, under the command of Admiral Baker, with inftruc- tions to convoy the troops, that were imbarked at OJlend, and to look after the lhips ftill remain¬ ing in Dunkirk road. In the mean time, the Parliament proceeded with great unanimity and vigour in their refolu- tions, tor the fupport of the Government againft the Pretender and his Adherents. They palled a bill to dilcharge the Clans of Scotland from their vafialage to their heads, who fhould take up arms againft the Queen. This bill was chiefly owing to Major-General Stanhope , and Sir David Dalrymple but, the enemy not land- (ij He obferves in his Memoirs, that he had no opi¬ nion of this enterprise. * All the time I ftaid at Court, Jays he, I made feveral attempts to perfuade the Mini- ft'ers to drop an enterprize, which I faw would be fo unprofitable: I quite tired myfelf with reprefenting the inconveniencies of it; I told the Prime Minifter again and again, that the bell we could make of it would be an unprofitable and difhonourable cruize ; that I was thoroughly mortified at his Majefty’s having made choice of me for an expedition, which had all the evidence of being attended with ill fuccefs: That, if a defeent was made, the fix thoufand men would furely be loft, and the forces of the Kingdom dimi- mlhed in proportion, befides the fcandal of giving into a chimerical enterprize, which ought to be looked upon as a mere dream. The anfwer to ali this was, %he lojs of the fix thoufand men gives us no trouble ; the King of England, forfooth, fo they mifcalled the Pretender, muf be Jatisfied. I never could get any thing elfe out of the Miniftry. The night before I fet out for Dun¬ kirk, I went to Court to take my leave of the King : Monfieur Le Count, faid his Majefly, You are Jenfble of the importance of your Commijfon, I hope you will dif- charge it like yourjef. Sir, replied I, Your Majefly does me a very great honour, but, if you zvill vouchfafe jne a moment's audience, I have Jerveral things to reprefent to you concerning this Commijfon. The King, who had been informed by the Minifter of the objections I had made to it all along, only faid, Monfieur Fourbin, I zvijh you a good voyage, I have affairs upon my hards, and cannot hear you now.' ‘The Com- mom ad- dr ef. March 13. Book XXVI. 29. A 1707-8. ing in Scotland , the bill had no effect. On the 10th of March , the Queen came to the Houfe of Peers, and made a fpeech to both Houfes, importing, “ That (he had received advices that “ morning from OJlend , that the French fleet “ failed from Dunkirk on Fucfday, at three in “ the morning, northward, with the Pretender “ on board: That Sir George Byng had notice “ of it the fame day at ten, and he being very “ much fuperior to the enemy, both in number “ and ftrength, her Majefty made no queftion, “ but, by God’s Blefiing, he would foon be “ able to give a good account of them. That r ^ at an account might be laid before “ the Houfe of the number of fhips, which went “ in the expedition with Sir George Byng , and " Maiden-Bradley in IVillJhire. Nobility of defcent, eminency of parts, great popularity, and a lead¬ ing influence in the Houfe of Commons, were the diflinguifhing circumftances of his life. Whether they were attended with real virtue and merit, cannot be deemed an improper in¬ quiry ; fince without thefe, outward appearances are infignificant and offenfive. In the Reign of King Charles II, he laboured with uncommon diligence to promote the meafures of the Court, for the deftruftion of civil and religious liberty •, and was neither afraid nor alhamed ol any fort of management. Pits contemptuous and brutal behaviour towards the Ploufe of Commons, while he was in the Chair, was aftonifhing and lcarce credible. He afted there as the Marftial of the Court, and, agreeably to his inftru&ions from thence, allowed the Houfe a long or fhort day for bufinefs. He feemed to affedt to be re- his Memoirs, p. 382, fays upon this fubjemo- occafioned fome other Vacancies, Robert Wal- t,ons ' pole, a Gentleman of quick parts and mafterly eloquence, was, in Mr. St. John’s room, made Secretary of War; and the place of Secre¬ tary to the Marines, which had been likewife held by Mr. St. John , was given to Mr. Jofiah Burchet. Some time after, the Queen delivered to the Earl of Cholmondley the Staff of Com¬ ptroller of her Houfehold ; and, about the mid¬ dle of April, her Majefty made a promotion of general Officers, by which the Earl Rivers was advanced to the poft of General of the horfe (1). Some time before. Orders and Commiffions were delivered for new raifing the regiments of Montjoy, Gorges, Alnuty Mordaunty Wade, Mac- cartneyy and Lord Mark Kerr , which fuffered moft at the battle of Almanza ; and their Officers, who were prifoners in Francey were fupplied by others. About the fame time, the Earl of Wemys and Sir John Leake were added to the Lord High Admiral’s Council. On the22d of April, her Majefty nominated Dr. William Fleetwood to the Bifhoprick of St. Afaph , vacant by the death of Dr. Beveridge, and Sir William Giffard was appointed Governor of Greenwich Hofpital; and Hugh Bofcowen Warden of the Stannaries. The Scotch Privy-Council being diffolved by Thefirji virtue of the late aft, entitled. An aft for ren- Privy- dering the Union of the two Kingdoms more Great^ intire and compleat, the Queen, on the 10th Britain, of May, appointed the firft privy Council of Great-Britain ( 2 ). On the 15th of May, the Lord Griffin , one Lord Grif- of the prifoners taken on board the Sali/bury , fin ordered being attainted by outlawry for high-treafon,/ c . r txecu ‘ committed in the Reign of King William , was ^ift. of brought to the bar of the Queen's-Bench, and, Europe. after reading of the outlawry, being afked,What he had to fay, why execution ffiould not be a- warded againft him ? He faid, in his defence, “ That he was neither in arms, nor in Council “ with the enemy ; but was forced by the French “ Court upon the expedition intirely againft his te judgment and inclination, notwithftanding he “ had expreffed his diflike of it, as a rafhand tc foolifh attempt-,” adding, That he threw “ himfelf at the Queen’s feet for mercy, and “ hoped (1) Henry Withers, Cornelius Woody Charles Rofs, Daniel Harvey , Lord Rahy, Earl of Effiex , Earl of Arran, - Maine, William Seymour, Hutton Compton, Robert Echlyn , Marquis of Lothian, and -- Tidcomb, were declared Lieutenant-Generals ; Sir William Doug- lafsy Lord Montjoy , Earl of Crawford , Richard Gorges, Nicholas Sankey, Henry Holt, William Cadogan , Thomas Meredythy Francis Palmes, James Stanhope, Lord Shan¬ non , Lord Charlemounty and the Duke of Northumber¬ land, Major-Generals; Luke Lilling/lon, Sir Thomas Smith, John Livefay, Edward Braddock, Gilbert Prim- rofe, Roger Elliot, William Evans , Thomas Pearce , Jofeph Wightman , and John Newton , Brigadiers. (2) Confiding of. The Archbifhop of Canterbury. William, Lord Cowper, Lord-Chancellor of Great-Bri¬ tain, Sidney, Earl of Godolphin, Lord-High-Treafurer, Thomas, Earl of Pembroke , Lord-Prefident, John, Duke of Ncwcajlle , Lord-Privy-Seal, William , Duke of Devon/hire , Lord-Steward, James , Duke of Ormond, Henry, Marquis of Kent, Lord Chamberlain, James, Earl of Derby, Thomas, Earl of Stamford, Charles Earl of Sunderland , Principal Secretary of State. Charles Bodvile, Earl of Radnor , Charles , Earl of Berkeley, Francis, Earl of Bradford, Hugh, Earl of Chalmondley, Henry, Lord Bifhop of London , William, Lord Dartmouth, Henry Boyle, Principal Secretary of State, Thomas Coke, Vice-Chamberlain, Sir John Trevor, Mafter of the Rolls, Sir Thomas Trevor, Lord-Chief-Juftice, Sir Charles Hedges , James Vernon , John Howe, Thomas Erie, At the fame time John Povey , Edward Southwell, and Chriflophir Mufgrave were fworn Clerks of the Council. Tm Hisro RY of ENGLA N D. “ hoped the favour of the Court.” His defence being judged intirely foreign to the outlawry, upon which he was brought to the bar, the Court made a rule for his execution, as is ufual Grieved tiU m ca * es •' But though the Queen was pre- ™di es i n vailed with to fign the warrant tor fentence to the Tower. P a fs upon him, a reprieve, however, for a fort¬ night, was fent the night before to the 'Tower •, and that, expiring the laft day of June , was then renewed, and afterwards continued from month to month, till he died a natural death in the Tower, about two years after. On the 20th of May, Meinhard , Duke of Scbomberg, and John Smith, late Speaker of the Houle ot Commons, who, about this time, was conflituted Under-Treafurer, and Chancellor of the Exchequer , in the room of Mr. Secretary Boyle, were fworn of the Privy-Council, as was the Duke of Somerfet the week after •, and, to¬ wards the latter end of the fame month, the Duke of Queenjberry was made a Peer of Great- Britain by the title of Baron of Rippon, and Marquis of Beverley in the County of York, and Duke ot Dover in the County of Kent. Proclatm: laft Seffion for the bet- tionfor the ter Security to our trade by Cruizers and Con- dijiribution voys, and for the encouraging Privateers, parti- ofprizes, cularly in the Weft-Indies and South-Sea. They were to have all they could take, intirely to themfelves ; the lame encouragement was alfo given to the Captains of the Queen’s fhips, with this difference, that the Captains of the Privateers were to divide their captures, accord¬ ing to agreements made among themfeves, but the diliribution of prizes taken by men of war was left to the Queen. A proclamation was therefore publifhed at this time in May, ordering the prizes to be divided into eight lhares. The Captain was to have three eighths, unlefs he had a fuperior Officer, in which cafe the Admiral or Commodore was to have one of the three. The Commiffion- Officers and Mailer were to have one eighth, the Warrant-Officers one, and the Petty-Officers another, and the Sailors the other two. The ftorm, which threatened Great-Britain, being difpelled, and the neceffary meafures for the fecurity of the Government taken, the Duke of Marlborough fet out from London the 29th o [March, and, having reached Margate that evening, embarked there, and the next day, at two in the afternoon, came in fight of the coaft of Holland, and arrived late the fame night at the Hague, where Prince Eugene of Savoy was come, two days before, to meet him. /' rPrinces The advantages gained by the Trench, the laft: of France year, prompted them to entertain fereral pro- ■cm to the jeifts, and to make ftill greater efforts to recover Dander* r * ie “ l° rmer Superiority. And indeed their forces this year feemed to be more numerous than ever, efpecially in the Netherlands, where it was believed the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke de Vendoftne would have again commanded. But an unexpe6ted alteration was fuddenly made, and the French King declared the Duke of Bur¬ gundy Generaliffimo of his forces, appointing the Duke de Vendoftne to ferve under him ; and he was to be accompanied by the Duke of Berry. The Pretender (who was returned from his unfuccefs- ful expedition to Scotland) went with them, without any other character than that of the Chevalier de St. George. The Eleftor of Bava- ■ : : was to command on the Rhine, with the 7be Duke of Marl¬ borough goes to Holland. Vol. IV. Duke of Berwick under him, the Marlhal de 1708 Villeroy being recalled, and appointed to com¬ mand in Dauphine. Thefe Proceedings of the French King furprized every one ; but he con¬ ceived great hopes from thefe alterations of his Generals. The credit with relation to money was Hill very low in France. For, after many methods taken lor railing the credit of the Mint- bills, they were ftill at a difeount of forty per cent. No fleets came this year from the Weft- Indies, and therefore they could not be fupplied from thence. On the x 2th of April, N. S. in the evening, Defegnsof there was a great Conference between Prince tbe c “n- Eugene, the Duke of Marlborough, the Depu - f>aign art ties of the States tor private affairs, and Pen- Brodrick, fionary llcinftus, in the Chamber of Triers, the M::. Hik ufual Place of Conferences in the Stales apart- r ment ; which was pitched upon to avoid the trouble of the ceremonial i for otherwife it mutt have been at the Duke of Marlborough's, as Ambaffador Extraordinary ; whereas Prince Eu¬ gene had no charadter, his credentials importing only, “ that his Imperial Majefty had fent his “ firft Counfellor, Prelident of the Council of “ War, and General-Lieutenant, Prince Eugene, 44 to concert the operations of the campaign, in 44 whom the States were defired to put an intire 44 confidence.” As foon as they were entered the room, the Duke of Marlborough took Prince Eugene by the hand, and led him to a feat above his own s after which the States Deputies placed themfelves, without obferving any precedency among them. Prince Eugene opened the Con¬ ference with a fpeech, wherein he gave a parti¬ cular “ account of the Emperor’s forces in 44 Naples, Lombardy, and Piedmont, and of thofe “ defigned for Spain and having mentioned “ the troops which his Imperial Majefty in- 44 tended to employ in Gemany, he gave, in 44 very modeft terms, his own opinion of the 44 operations of the next campaign, both on the 44 Upper-Rhine and the Low-Countries ; con- 44 eluding, that he had inftrudlions from his 44 Imperial Majefty to ufe his endeavours to en- 44 gage the Queen of Great Britain and the 44 States-General to approve the Scheme he had 44 propofed, and to fecond, on their parts, his 44 Imperial Majefty’s efforts, both to reduce the 44 exorbitant power of France, and to reftore 44 his Brother King Charles III. to the whole 44 Monarchy of Spain." After Prince Eugene had ended his fpeech, the Duke of Marlborough acquainted the Aflem- bly with the inftrudlions he had received from the Queen his Miftrefs, in relation to the bufi- nefs before them ; and at laft: mention was made of a feparate army to be commanded by Prince Eugene. This Conference, which lafted above an hour, was but a kind of preliminary ; for the Deputies of the States were not impow- cred to make any anfwer, either to Prince Eu¬ gene's, or the Duke of Marlborough's propofals, but only (according to the ufual methods ob- ferved by that Republic) to receive them, and to report the fame to their High Mightineffes •, which they did on the 16th. Several other Conferences were held, though more privately, between the Duke of Mary¬ borough, Prince Eugene, and the Deputies of the Stales the relult of which was (as it afterwards appeared) 4 That moft of the Imperialifts em¬ ployed the year before on the Upper Rhine, with the Book XXVI. The Dube ef Marl¬ borough 1708. the Saxons and Hejjians in the pay of Great-Bri- taen and Holland, and the troops, which the Eleftor Palatine was to furnifli, in confideration of his Imperial Majefty’s relloring him to the pofleffion of the Upper Palatinate, with the pre¬ rogatives enjoyed by his Anceftors, (hould march into the Netherlands , to act there, under Prince Eugene, in concert with the Briti/h and Dutch forces, commanded in chief by the Duke of Marlborough, and under him, by Veldt-Marfhal Auverquerqtte.' Whether Prince Eugene, who took Hanover in his way to the Hague, then communicated this fclieme to the Eleftor of that name, and found him averfe to it, or pro- pofed other meafures to his Eleftoral Highnefs, is not known ; but it was thought fit, that Prince Eugene and the Dnke of Marlborough fhotild now both wait on that Prince, in order to obtain his concurrence to the refolutions taken at the Hague , and engage him to recurn to command the army on the Upper Rhine. The Duke of Marlborough intended to have gone back to England, before the opening of . the campaign ; but Prince Eugene was very ear- Eugene ntft with him t0 meet him at Hanover ; and the to Haim- s ““ e ‘ having reprefented to the Queen of Great- vcr. Britain the neceffity of his prefence on that fide, and how uncertain the winds might make his timely return, the feafon being fo far advan¬ ced, he refolved upon the journey to the Court of Hanover. Prince Eugene, having finifiied his negotiations at the Hague, fet out the 20th of April N. S. arrived the 22d at DuJJbldorp, and, having ended his bufinefs, the next day, with the Eleftor Palatine, and fent an exprefs to Vi¬ enna, purfued his journey towards Hanover. The Duke of Marlborough met him the 26th two German miles from that place, and, arriving there the fame evening together, they alighted ac the Britijh Envoy’s. The Duke went firfl to Court, and was followed thither foon after by Prince Eugene, where the feveral audiences of ceremony, which they had of the Eleftoral fa¬ mily, being over, they had together a long Con¬ ference with the Elector, who gave orders for their being accommodated at his own palace. Their Conferences were continued the three fol¬ lowing days, the Count de Rechteren alfifting on the part of the States-General. They met with fome difficulties at firft, which were removed by the dextrous and prudent management of Prince Eugene and the Duke of Marlborough ; and his Eleftoral Highnefs, though he was fenfible, that, by this fcheme for making vigorous efforts in Flanders, the army, which he was to com¬ mand himfelf on the Upper Rhine, muft be ex¬ tremely weakened, and he fhould be obliged to ftand on the defenfive; yet, at length, he con- lented to part with feveral regiments, and, being fat,sfied with the laurels he had already gained, 1708. chearfully facrificed to the common caufe the glo¬ ry he might have reaped by afting offenfively. But though it was agreed, that Prince Eugene fhould come into the Netherlands, yet it was in- duftrioufiy given out, that he was to aft with a fepaiate body on the Mofelle , which obliged the enemy to lend a confiderable number of tor- ces that way under the command of the Duke of Berwick. On the 29th of April, N. S. Prince Eugene „ fet out tor Leipfu, to confer with King Auguf- tus, who was come thither on Purpofe, two gJ to Vi days before, from Drefden. On the Prince’s ar- enna » rival he finifiied his r.egociations in a few hours, and purlued his journey the next day to Vienna. I he Duke of Marlborough made no long ftay , . after Prince Eugene at Hanover; for he let out Dukl.f from thence the day after, and arrived the 3d of Malbo- , - a' the Hague, where he communicated to <• the States General the refult of the Conferences hdd at Hanover ; and, having concerted with their High Mightineffes further meafures for opening the campaign, he went to Ghent, where n, having reviewed the Britijh forces, he proceeded fign <« ta BruJfels ls) The Duke having conferred Fkndcrs - with Veldt-Mar[h,1] d*Auverquerque, who, not- wtthHanding his infirm ftate of health, prefer¬ red a vigorous mind, and feemed refolved to die, like a hero, in the field, gave orders to the troops to march to Andernach near Bruffels where the Dutch, Prujftans, and Hanoverians began to form the army the 23d of May, N. S. The 26th they marched ro Billingen, where the Duke of Marlborough took up his quarters in the Abbey of that name; and the Veldt- Marlhal fixed his at Hall, a little town, which lay in the front of the firfl: line. The Britijh forces re- paired to this camp likewife with all poflible ex- ped.tion,-as did alfo a confiderable body of troops in the ferviceof the States-General from their reipective garrifons in Flanders. And, laft of all, the Field-Deputies of their High Mighti- neffes arrived there, who behaved themfeives this campaign with fo much prudence and refo- lution, that they contributed very much to the iuccefs of it. Upon notice of thefe motions, the Duke de Vendofme affembled his army, on the 23th of May between Mens and St. Ghijlain, and took up his head-quarters at St. Simpronien, from whence he marched the next day ,0 Soignies poftmg his right at Naijl, and his left at Canchie Notre Dame, within three leagues of the Confe- derate camp He was joined the fame day by he Duke of Burgundy, who had the chief (at leaft titularj command of the army, together with the Duke of Berry, his brother, and the Pretender. On (1) Here the Duke was honoured with a letter from the Queen, dated May 6, by the manner of which, as the Duchefs of Marlborough obferves in the Account of her Conduit, p. 255, her Majefty Itemed ftilt to have retained a great degree of regard for Mr. Harley. After complaining ro the Duke of being fo tired that day with importunities from the Whigs, that fhc had not ipints left to open iier afflifled heart fo freely and fully as the intended, (lie goes on to Iky, that fhe was en¬ tirely Of his opinion, thinking it neither for her honour nor interell: to make Heps (meaning the firft fteps) to- "2™ a p f. ace ’ as the Dukc bad been prelTeii to do N S 7 . Vo i.. IV, abroad; and allures him, that, whatever infinuations her enemies might make to the contrary, fhe would never give her confent to a peace, but upon life and honourable terms. She begs the Duke to be fo juft to her, as not to let the mifreprefentations made of her have any weight with him; adding, that it would be a greater trouble to her than could be expreffed; and con¬ cludes with thefe words; ‘ I cannot end without beg¬ ging you to be very careful of yourfelf, there being no- body, I am fure, that prays more heartily than her, who will live and die moft fincerely yours, Etc.’ S (0 Ghent The HISTORY . On the 2gth of May, the Confederate army, which confuted ot a hundred and eighty fqua- drons of horfe, and a hundred and twelve bat¬ talions, made a motion from Bellingben , ad¬ vancing the right to Hcrfelingen , the left to Lembccy, and fixing the head-quarters at St. Re- ntllt, in hopes of bringing the enemy to an en¬ gagement, which, by their bold march to Soig- !:iS, they Teemed rather to leek than decline, being fuperior, at lead, in number, to the Al¬ lies for their army confided of a hundred and ninety-fevcn fquadrons, and a hundred and twenty-four battalions. The fame day the ene¬ my received their heavy baggage from Mom but lent it back thither on the 3 id, which dill gave the Confederates hopes they fliould come to an engagement 1 and thereupon, the Duite of Marlborough ordered the troops to be in a rea- dincfs to march at an hour’s warning. I he lame evening the Duke received intelligence, that the enemy's heavy baggage, having received acoun- ter-order, was returned to the camp, and that they had foraged for two days •, whence it was realonably concluded, that they would not march the next day, as the deferters had reported. The Duke of Marlborough, having advifed with the other Generals, refolved to fend the horfe to forage the next morning; and they went out, before break of day ; but they had not been out an hour, before advice came, that the enemy had begun the night before, at ten, to fend their he ..vy baggage to Mom, and decamped wivhou: ;i;:y nolle at eleven, marching towards JftodU. The foragers were immediately re- called, and, to avoid all lofs of time, the m- faiitrv marched firfl of all about noon from St. Rcmlle, and were followed by the cavaliy. A- bout four they formed four columns, intending to incamp the right towards Andnlecb, ami the left to Lake i but upon farther notice, that the enemy had not incamped at Nivtlle, but had continued their march by Boil Signieur lfaac to Braine la Leu, the Duke judged, that they could not have any other defign, than to poft themfelves on the bank of the Dcule, to hinder the Allies from puffing that river, and to feize Louvain ; being the very fame projedl, which the Duke di Vendofme had formed the laft year, but mifearried in it. To prevent the enemy, there was no other remedy, but to continue marching all night; fo that, on the 3d of June in the afternoon, the army of the Allies (1) Ghent is a vaft large City anil Caftle, one of the principal of tl.e I.rw-Cmilrkt, the Marqmlate of the Earldom of Under!, and territory of Ghent, a Bilhop- rick under the Archbilhop of Mechlin. It was lurpn- zed bv, or rather betrayed to the French the beginning of thi's campaign; but befiegcd and recovered by theDukc of MarlRrcugh towards the end of the year. It Hands on the river Schehl and Lys (which divide it into twen- t v-fix ifl;mds) twenty-feven miles almoft South-weft of /hitzi i 2 crf>, thirty North-weft of Bruffels, ninety-four almoft South oMmferdam, and an hundred and fifty- four North-Eaft of Paris. (2) Bruges is a fair, ftrong, and noble City of the Lc-d.'-Countries, in the Earldom of Flanders , the head of tne territory of Bruges, a Bilhopnck under the Archbifhop of Mechlin. This town made its fubmiffion to the Duke of Marlborough after the famous battle of Ramillies ; the French furprized ir, or rather had it be¬ trayed to them the beginning of this campaign, but abandoned it upon the approach of the Confederates, of ENGLAND. Vol. IV. arrived at the camp of Terbank, very much fa- 1708. tigued, as well by this Jong march as by the continual rains, which had fallen ior four and twenty hours together. The French , having received intelligence of this expeditious march of the Confederates, did not venture to advance farther than Genap , but incamp’d their right to that place, and their leit to Braine la Leu. Upon which the Duke of Marlborough took up his quarters in the Abbey of 'Terbank, and Mon- fieur d' Aver quer que his in the Suburbs of Louvain. On the 4th, leveral bridges were laid on the Dcule, between Havre and Louvain ; and, on the 5th, almoft the whole Confederate army foraged in the neighbourhood of their camp. The 6th being appointed by the Duke as a day of thankfgiving for the pad fuccefles of the arms of the Allies, and to implore a blefTing upon the prelent campaign, it was rcligioufly obferved throughout the whole army. The enemy continuing quiet in their camp, the Duke of Marlborough took that opportunity of reviewing his troops, which he began to d? the feventh, and continued for eight or nine days following, when he had the fatisfadlion to find, that the refpeclive bodies were all very com- pleat, the men in the moll excellent order, ani¬ mated with their former victories; and eager to engage an enemy, that was defpicable in their eyes. In this camp it was, that the Electoral Prince of Hanover (his prefent Majefty King George II.) came to the army, and was received with the greateft marks of refpedt and diftindtion by all the general Officers. It was now plain, that the enemy had no in¬ clination to engage the Confederates. They had indeed in view the recovery of the places they had loft in the year 1706; but it was by their ufual method of furprize and treachery. Nor were their hopes altogether vain, for the Eledtor of Bavaria, who had gained fome inte- reft in the Provinces of the Netherlands, among people of all ranks, by his profufenefs and po¬ pular behaviour, with the affiftance of Count de Bergeyck, a perfon of great credit, and no lefs adlivity, and other friends of the Houfe of Bourbon, eafily found means to pradtife upon the levity and reftlefs fpirits of the chief inhabitants of the Cities of Ghent (1), Bruges (2), and Antwerp, who promifed to open their gates to the troops of France and Spain, as foon as they could find a fair opportunity (3). The truth was, the Dutch towards the end of December, the fame year. It (lands twenty-four miles North-weft of Ghent, eleven Eaft of Ojiend, thirty-four North-eaft of Dunkirk, and forty Weft of Antwerp. (3) Dr. Hare, in his Thankfgiving-fermon before the Houfe of Commons , on Thurfday February 17, 1708-9, tells us, p. 11. ‘ That there was a Confpiracy to have all the Netherlands betrayed to the enemy by the fil¬ tered of that unhappy Prince, who has fuffered fo much in their caufe. When we faw the fons of France come into the field, we could not but fufpedl there was fomething more than ordinary in agitation. It was not enough to think they came to learn the art of war in an army, that aims at nothing but inadlion, or to give courage to their troops, which their greateft General had not been able to do, though fetched from Italy on purpofe, at a time when he leaft could have been fpaicd; for the event has fhewn, he brought no more courage with him than he left behind him ; nor could it be expedit'd, that their bare prefence fhould make Book XXVI. 1708. Dutch were fevere Matters, and'the Flandrians could not bear it. Though the French had laid heavier taxes on them, yet they ufed them better in all other refpe6ls. Their bigotry, being wrought on by their Priefts, difpofed them to change their Matters. The Duke of Marlbo¬ rough refolved not to weaken his army by many garrifons; and therefore put none at all into Bruges, and a very weak one in the citadel of Ghent , reckoning, that there was no danger, as long as he lay between thofe places and the French army. The two armies had lain about a month looking on one another, fhifting their camps a little, but keeping flill in fafe ground; the Confederates,for their parts, being in expefta- tion of Prince Eugene's taking the field, with an army compofed of Prujftan and Heftian troops, ten thoufand Palatines and fome Imperia- lifts. The motion of this body was retarded by ieveral difficulties about the march of the Pala¬ tine forces-, of which the French getting intelli¬ gence, they concluded, that the Confederates would hardly venture to force them in the pafles and defiles they were poflefied of, and therefore commanded a detachment to march towards Ghent and Bruges , to furprize thofe towns which was effefted in this manner: Bruges On the 5th of July , N. S. a party of the ene- Yakenbubi my’ s tr00 P s > commanded by the Brigadiers la French. ” Faille and Pafteur , advanced before break of day towards Ghent, and, at the opening of the gates between five and fix in the morning, half a dozen foot-foldiers, with two or three troopers, who were lent before, pretending to be deferters, were admitted into the town by the watch of Burghers, who were no more in number than themfelves. When they were going to be car¬ ried to the main-guard, fome of them pretended a wearinefs, and letting themfelves down on the ground, defired fome brandy, to delay time ; which being brought, they drank with the Burghers, and, amufed them with a (lory of the march of the French army, and their own de- fertion. Soon after another fmall party of pre¬ tended deferters came, and entertained the watch with the like frivolous (lories, till Brigadier la Faille , who not long before had been High- Bailiff of that City, and had dill a confiderable interett there, coming in perfon, commanded the Burghers, who guarded the gates, to lay down their arms, and admit the French troops. They began at firft to make a (hew of refin¬ ance but the pretended deferters, rifing up at once, prefented their bayonets, and (topped them. Refiftance would now have been to lit¬ tle purpofe fo the Brigadier’s commands being immediately obeyed, he left fome of his men there, and with the reft marched direftly into the town. It being early, they only met with a : few labourers in the ftreets, fome of whom took them for deferters, and others they quieted with gold. In this manner they advanced to the gate of Bruges , which they feized with little or no refittance, as they did likewife the bridge of Mculeftede. In the mean time, Monfieur Gri¬ maldi, who followed Monfieur de la Faille at a dittance, entered the town likewife, and marched with the reft of the detachment to the market¬ place. All the gates being foon after feized, about ten, Monfieur de la Faille marched to the Town-houfe, and, having aflembled the Magi- ftrates and chief Burghers, he caufed a pardon to be read to them, figned by the Eletftor of Bava¬ ria, and underneath by the Count de Bergeyck ; upon which they readily fubmitted. The enemy, being thus become maftersof the town, fummoned the Governor of the cattle to furrender ; but Monfieur de Labette , Major of Sir Richard Temple's regiment of foot, who com¬ manded in that fortrefs with about three hundred men, expecting either to be reinforced by Major- General Murray, or relieved by the approach of the Confederate army, anfwered, “ That “ he would defend it to the lad extremity.” The French began to prepare for attacking the cattle; and Major-General Murray, who was potted at Marienkirk with two Englijh regiments of foot, and one of Spanifh dragoons, in vain attempted to throw a reinforcement into the place. Major Labene, having been fummoned a fecond time, and being wholly unprovided for defence againft fo powerful an army, obtained an honourable capitulation. Some hours after the enemy had furprized Ghent, Count de la Motte appeared with a ftrong detachment before Bruges , which furrendered the next day, without making the lead refittance, or putting the enemy to the trouble of firing more than three pieces of cannon. There was indeed a fort of capitulation agreed upon, in which the Sieur Briel, Receiver of the contri¬ butions, and Mr. Volmar , his Comptroller, were included; but it appeared by every circumftance, that this was a thing of form only, and that the articles had been long before fettled by other perfons than they that pretended to grant and accept them. This done, Count de la Motte marched im¬ mediately to Damme, hoping to meet with the fame fuccefs there; but as this place was forti¬ fied and garrifoned, the Governor opened the fluices, and put the whole country under water, which obliged the Count to retire. From thence he marched to Plajfendahl , a little fort on the canal, which leads from Bruges to Oft end, and is a fecurity to the communication of thofe two places. make a ftarved and naked army a£t with as much vi¬ gour, as if they had been warmly clothed and well paid. No, we were fure it mutt be fomething elfe they came for, not to gain any honour in the field, but to reap the mean glory of fome fuccefsful treachery, and fo it proved. A defign, we found, had been formed fome time to fijrprize Antwerp ; all was agreed, and every thing within a day or two ripe for execution, when the Princes joined the army; but the plot, which was more than they knew, was then adlually difeovered ; and this was a defign of fuch importance, we were inclined to think it was the whole they aimed at. But the fequel (hewed the treachery w^as deeper laid ; and, while we were waiting the forces from the Rhine , another part of it fucceeded better. Had both taken effect, what condition had our affairs been in ? We had then, it is likely, without a blow loft all the fruits of the Ramilltes campaign ; and the confequence of that had been, not only putting the war two or three years back; it is more than probable the conftcr- nation it would every where have raifed, would have foon frightened the Allies into an ill peace ; or the fuc¬ cefs of the Italian league, which then could not have mifearried, might in another year have forced them to it.’ The HISTORY of ENGLAND. r cbfrom Terbank. 708. places. The Officer, who commanded in it, re¬ filled to furrender ; upon which the Count at¬ tacked and took it IworJ in hand. Major-General Murray., having found it im- poffibie to reinforce the caille of Ghent, retired to Sas van Ghent, where he found the Deputies of the Stales-General for the affairs of Flanders, and concerted with them the neceffary mealures for putting the frontiers in a polture of detence, and fecuring thofe ports, which were moft ex¬ po fed. Thi Confe- The Duke of Marlborough, who was yet in derat,-army camp at ' Terbank , received advice, that a confi- dc-rable detachment was marched towards Tubize, and, in the night, that their whole army had followed at nine in the evening. The Duke gave immediate orders for the Confederate army to be in readinefs to march. Accordingly, about three in the morning, the 5th of July, they marched from the camp at Terbank, parted the canal in four columns, and incamped with the left at Anderlecb , and the right at the mill of Tomberg. Ileie the Duke got intelligence of the enemy’s defign on Ghent , and that the de¬ tachment they had made for that end was ad¬ vanced as far as Aloft , and had broken down the bridge over the Deader: He thereupon ordered Major-General Bothrnar, with four regiments of horfe and dragoons, 10 pais over at Dender- mond, in order to oblervc me enemy, and to prevent their defign upon Ghent, but he came too late. ^French The fame day the French puffed the Senne at tyf [be Hail and Tubize, and weie parting at the mill Vol. IV. 708. Dender with great ■ of Goicke till ht, within a league of the Prince Eugene coma to the army. right wing of the Allies; which coming very late into che camp, and the army having made a very long march through difficult v ays, it was n« t thought prafticable to attack the ene¬ my that night. However, the greateft part of the horfe and foot having been brought to the right during the night, in order to engage the enemy, the whole army was formed the next morning early in order of battle ; but their defign was fruitrated by the French, who were employ¬ ed the whole night, with all poffible expedition, in parting the Dender through the town of Throve, and over feveral bridges built near that place for the fame purpofe; lo that the detach¬ ment, fent to attack their rear-guard, came too late to find any thing but their fmall baggage, which was attended by a rtrong guard. Thefe Major-General Sckulemberg and Sir Richard Temple, with ten fquadrons and five battalions, fupported by Major-General de Veyne , with ten fquadrons more, foon defeated, put them to flight, and took a great deal of baggage. The Confederate army incamped the fame night at Afche, where Prince Eugene of Savoy, having made a quick march from the Mofeile, and left his cavalry at Maeftricht , refolding to be prefent as foon as poffible, at whatever acti¬ on might happen, though his troops ffiould not come up in time, arrived that evening with Major-General Cadogan, whom the Duke of Marlborough had fent to attend him. The arri¬ val of Prince Eugene, and the approach of his troops, not only revived the fpirits of the fol- diers, but was very acceptable to the Generals themfelves, after the ungrateful news they had received that very day of the French having fur- prized Ghent. The Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, from the very moment they met, a&ed with the moft perfetft unanimity. The next day a council of war was held, in which it was refoJved to regulate the march of the army according to the motions of the enemy ; and the Pioneers were fent on every fide to make ways ; the refolution, which the Duke had be¬ fore taken of bringing the enemy, if poffible, to an engagement, being again confirmed. And fo eager were the Generals for it, that it was determined, if a fair opportunity offered, not to wait the arrival of the Imperial troops. In the afternoon Prince Eugene went to Brujjels to pay a vifit to his mother, the Countefs of Soif- Jons ; and the day following the Duke of Marl¬ borough being much indifpofed and feverifh, the orders were given at Monfieur Anverqiierque 's quarters; and, according to thefe orders, four battalions marched to reinforce the garrifon of Brujjels, and eight battalions were ordered, with Major-General Cadogan, and the Quarter-ma- fters, to make the ways. The fmall advantage, which the enemy had in furprirtng Ghent, proved the occafion of their own much greater lofs; and the Governor of that caftle not delivering it, till the 8th of July , had this good effect, that it amufed the enemy two or three days in their camp from above Aloft to Schilcbille on the Set)eld. This delay proved fatal to them ; for the French Generals receiving intelligence, that Prince Eugene was bringing a reinforcement of about thirty-thou- fand men, with all expedition, from Germany in¬ to Brabant, bethought themfelves of retiring to¬ wards their lines and rtrong towns, before the conjunction of the Confederate troops, in hopes, that being reinforced with a good body of troops, which were coming to join them from Aljace (though not with fuch fpeed as the Ger¬ mans, who were remarkably expeditious on this occafion beyond their ufual cuftom) under the command of the Duke of Berwick, they might afterwards be a match for the Confederates, or, at leaft, might preferve their late eafy conquefts. They likewife imagined, that they might fur- prize or reduce Oudenard, the only pafs the Al- Oudenard lies had on the Scheld, fince the taking of Ghent, before the Allies could be in any readinefs to French, prevent it ; and to this end, Count de Cheme- rault having broke clown all the bridges on the Scheld, and intimidated all the leffer places in thofe parts, they caufed Oudenard (1) to be in¬ verted on the 9th of July early, and intended to have taken poffeflion of the advantageous camp of Lejfines. Monfieur de Sigterman, who commanded in Oudenard, (ij Oudenard is a rich and very rtrong town of the Lav-Countries, in the Earldom of Flanders, the Mar- quifate of the tenitory of Oudenard-. It lurrendered to the Duke of Marlborough in 1706. The French laid rtege to it in the beginning of this campaign; but the approach of the Confederate army made them aban¬ don the place, and engaged them in a battle near it, which proved a fatal overthrow to them. It Hands on the river Scheld , thirteen miles South of Ghent, thir¬ teen North-weft of Aeth, thirty-fix Weft of Brujjels, and thirty-feven almoft North of Mom. m^hHHbhBBhS Book XXVI. 29, A 1708. Oudenard , fearing that the inhabitants might be treacherous, as it was fufpebted it had been in other places, immediately called a Council of war, to confider of means how to keep them within the limits of their duty, if they fliould be otherwife inclined. It was refolved to de¬ fend the place to the laft extremity, and to de¬ clare to the townfmen, that it was hoped they would contribute all that lay in their power to that end ; but that, if they offered to make the leaft attempt towards furrendring the place, they would fet fire to it in every part, and re¬ duce it to a heap of alhes. The inhabitants made all poflible proteftations of their fidelity, and aflifted the Governor in putting the town in the belt pofture of defence. The Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eu¬ gene , having either information or fufpicion of the enemy’s defign, ordered Brigadier Chanclos to throw himfelf into Oudenard, with feven hun¬ dred men, detatched from Aeth, Coin tray, and Mening, and JValef *s dragoons, which was per¬ formed accordingly. This proved a great dif- appointment to the enemy-, for, if they could have lecured this place, they would have cut off the communication of the Allies with Mening and Cour tray. The fame day Oudenard was inverted, the Confederate army (which was encamped at Afche) marched in four columns, the Earl of Albemarle being left, with all the grenadiers of the army, and thirty lquadrons, to make the rear-guard, in cafe the enemy fliould have made any motion towards Bruffels. Theways being in good repair, the army marched with the greateft expedition, and advanced as far as Herfelingen, above five leagues from Afche, before eleven in the morn¬ ing. Here the Duke of Marlborough gave or¬ ders for the army to pitch their tents, fronting towards the enemy ; who being far from expect¬ ing, that the Confederate army could poflibly make fo lwift a march, did not beat the General till three in the afternoon, thinking themfelves lure of the camp of Leffmes, in order to cover the fiege of Oudenard , for which they had their artillery ready at Fournay. Prince Eugene having rejoined the army at Herfelingen, the Duke of Marlborugb detached Major-General Cadogan about four in the afternoon, with eight fquadrons, and as many battalions, to take pof- feffion of the camp of Leffmes. Accordingly, eight hundred men of this detatchment entered the town of that name, about midnight; and the reft having paffed through, at four in the morning, ported themfelves on this fide the river Deader. On the other hand, the Retreat, which was the fignal for ftriking the tents, being beat at feven, the evening before, in the camp at Herfelingen, the whole army marched imme¬ diately, and, moving on all night, began, the 10th, about eleven in the morning, to pafs the Dender over the bridges laid by Major-General Cadogan, and continued their March to the camp of Leffmes, on the other fide ; the chief ftrength whereof confifts in the rivulet, which falls be¬ low it into the Dender. The enemy, perceiving themfelves difappointed of this camp, altered their march towards Gavre, in order to pafs the Scheld there. Motions of The nth in the morning, upon intelligence, f be Allied that the enemy had quitted Oudenard, and were a,my - purfued by Brigadier Chanclos with IValef 's dra¬ goons, Cadogan was lent with fixteen battalions No. 57. Vol. IV. N N E, 73 and eight fquadrons to make the ways and 1708, bridges at Oudenard. The army began to march at eight o’ clock by the left, ftill in four co¬ lumns, as they had incamped ; and after the news came, that the enemy were ftill parting at Gavre, the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene refolved to endeavour to bring them to an engagement. In order to this, the army continu’d their march with fuch fpeed and dili¬ gence, that, at two in the afternoon, the front was at the bridges, over which Cadogan's fixteen battalions were then parting. Eight fquadrons, and part of the former detachment, with the Quarter-mafters, and Major-General Ranlzaw at the head of them, were ported behind a rivulet that runs into the Scheld, where they obferved, that the French army were partly marching, and partly drawn up in order of battle. They took notice likewife that the enemy had thrown fe¬ ven battalions into the village of Heynem (which is fituated on the banks of the Scheld) and the neighbouring plains, which confronted that fmall village, were filled with the troops of the houfe- hokl, who were drawn up exactly oppofite to the eight fquadrons under Major-General Rant- zaw, no obftacle but a fmall Rivulet dividing them. Behind the village were moraffes, woods, and defiles; lo that an army had no other way to march, but through the high-road. This difpofition of the French made it uncertain, whether their real defign was to hinder the Duke of Marlborough's parting the Scheld , or to gain their own lines between Life and Four- nay, which they thought they might eafily have done, not imagining, that fo confiderable a bo¬ dy, as that of the Confederates, could march five leagues in a clofe country abounding in paffes and defiles, have their roads levelled, crofs a great river, and make an attack upon them the fame day. The defign of the Duke de Vendofine in pla¬ cing the feven battalions in the village of Hey¬ nem, and the fquadrons, which the Confederates had dilcovered on the plain, which were to the number of twelve, was to have advanced to¬ wards the bridge, over which the Allies were parting, to a certain diftance, in order to have waited there till half their troops were paffed, and then to have attacked them with all the ad¬ vantage which his fuperiority of number could have given him, not doubting but he fliould eafily have defeated them, before the other half of their army could come to their afliftance. It was with this intent, thefe troops were advanced, and the Duke would foon have followed with the whole army -, but the Duke of Burgundy did not approve of this projedt. He had all along Ihewed an inclination to retire towards Ghent ; and this propenfity appeared now ftronger than ever ; he ordered the troops to flop fliort in their march at Gavre in the greateft perplexity, not knowing which way to move. He even recalled the fquadrons, which were in the plain, and prepared to retire and to this the French attribute their misfortune, which enfued. It would have been eafy for the French , either to have cut off the detachment of the Allies, which had advanced and laid bridges over the Scheld, or, at leaft, to have deftroyed thofe bridges, before the whole confederate army could come up j and if then they had fupported their left at Heynem, ported their horfe behind the caftle of Beveren, towards the mill of Oycke , T and *The l/utlie of Oude- nard. July u. N. S. and placed their center on the height between Weriigem and Heurne , they would undoubtedly have had all the advantage, which the moll dif¬ ficult ground could give •, and perhaps the choice would have been on their fide, whether to engage in a general afrion, or not. But the Dukes of Burgundy and Veniofme , who had been at variance for fome days before, what courfe they fhould take, dill differed in their opinions, and were both yet ftrangely at a lofs, what mea- fures they ffiould refolve upon, and what dif- pofuions to make. This irrefolution lafted till three in the afternoon, when moll of the young Commanders in the French army, to make their Court to the Duke of Burgundy , contradicted all that was advifed by the Duke of Vendofme , and declared loudly for an engagement, which in a great meafure determined the Duke of Burgundy, and the Duke of Vendofme was obliged to fubmit. Major-General Grimaldi was therefore ordered by the Duke of Burgundy , with the horfe of the King’s Houfhold, to begin the attack on the right, and diflodgeMajor-General Ranlzaiv from the eminence, on which he was polled ; but when they came to the rivulet, and found it marfhy, they were difcouraged from attempting the paffage, and retired towards their own right, ,. . - though their army had twelve thoufand men equal numbers. In the interim, the Duke of Ar- m ore in number than the Confederates, and fe- gyle arrived with twenty battalions, which were veral other advantages. This attack the Duke fcarce polled, when the French attacked them of Vendedne difapproved of-, and therefore fent very brifkly, and drove iome Pruffian battalions Mon fie ur Jennet, his Aid de Camp to the left, from their polls i but notwithftandmg the in¬ to at tack'the Allies on that fide. But the equality of numbers, about fix in the evening. Vol. IV. The Confederate army continued, in the 170$. mean time, to pals the bridges with all imagi¬ nable diligence. The Prujjian horfe formed themfelves upon the right in the fame plain, where the advanced guard was * and the rell of the horfe, as they paffed, followed the Pruffian through the village of Heurne, into the plain ; but the foot, becaufe of the length of the march, came later to the bridges ; fo that none but the fixteen battalions were there till five o’clock. The Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene being at the head of the horfe, which were forming in the plain, and obferving the great want there was of infantry, fent orders to the foot, which had been employed in attacking the village, to leave their poll, and throw them¬ felves into the hedges on the other fide of the plain, whither the enemy feemed to be march¬ ing with great diligence. On that fide of the plain were no more than two battalions of Ma¬ jor-General Collier's and Brigadier Grunkau's ; which were attacked with great fury ; but they maintained their poll with equal bravery, till more foot came up to their aflillance. The Duke of Marlborough fent repeated orders to the foot, to prefs their march, the enemy be¬ ing then forming, and ready to attack the in¬ fantry, which was already there, with veiy un- Duke of Burgundy countermanded it, upon in¬ formation, as it was laid, that there was an un- paliable morafs on that fide ; which, however, the Duke of Vendofme had paffed ovn- but an hour before. Upon this Cadogan , who had paffed the river with twelve of his fixteen bat¬ talions between three and four o’clock, attacked the village of Heynem , with fuch refolution (Bri¬ gadier Sabine, with his Brigade, being at the head) that they loon made themfelves mailers of it, and took three of the feven battalions in¬ tire, making many of the officers and private men prifoners that belonged to the other four. Immediately after,Major-General Rantzaw ,with the eight fquadrons, and the Quarter-Mailers, paffed the rivulet, and advanced into the plain, where the French horfe had been drawn up, between the villages of Singhem and Mullen. Several of the fquadrons of their rear-guard be¬ ing Hill palling through the plain, the eight fquadrons, with the Quarter-Mailers attacked them with great vigour, and drove them into the clofe ground and the high-way, which led into the march of their own army. Here it was, the Electoral Prince of Hano- ver ’ his prefentMajefly of Great-Britain, gave p/'Hanover dillinguifhing proofs of his early valour. He di/liuguijk- charged, fword in hand, at the head of a fqua- Vimfilf. d ron of his Father’s dragoons *: His horfe was * Bulau’s. under and Colonel Lufcbky ,who com¬ manded the fquadron,was kill’d fighting bravely by him. Lieutenant-General Scbulemberg , and ieveral other Volunteers, behaved with great refolution, and led up the fquadrons. The French regiment of la Breteche, and feveral other regiments, were intirely broken and the Colonel himfelf, being dangeroufly wounded, was taken, together with a great many other Officers, and twelve llandards and kettle-drums. they retook it fword in hand. By this time Count Lottum was coming up, to fullain this attack, with the remainder of the foot of the right; and the Duke perceiving, that the great ft refs of the battle would lie on the right, fent to the left for twenty battalions. The left wing arrived fomething later than the right, and hav¬ ing paffed their horfe through Oudenard , and their foot on bridges below the town, had form¬ ed themfelves in two lines, with the village oi Moreghem behind them. The fuccefs, which the Confederates had al¬ ready obtained in the feveral engagements near the villages of Heynem , Mullein , and Heurne, ntade the French Generals fenfible, they ffiould foon be attacked on all fides. They therefore found themfelves under a neceffity of making a Hand ; to which end, they polled their foot very advantageoufly before the villages of Wanigcn , Lede , and Huyze , having in their front feveral defiles, fenced with inclolures of hedges, ditches, or thickets, and placed mod of their cavalry on their right, near the villages of Oyke and Wirtigen. As foon as the Confederate foot arrived, they formed themfelves in two lines before the horfe, and then attacked, in very good order, the in- clofures and villages in their front, where the French were polled ; fo that about feven o’clock the fire grew general, both on the right and on the left; and, though the enemy gave way in mod places, yet, being fuftained with frefh troops, the adlion was maintained very obfti- nately a good while after. There was before the left of the left wing a kind of opening, through which run a road, that led into the plain, on the top of the hill, and which the Prince of Orange-Naffatt, at the head of the Dutch foot, cleared with great vi- gour Book XXVI. 1708. gour and refolution. At the fame time the Duke of Marlborough diipatched orders to the Veldt-Marfhal d Auverquerque and the Count de Tilly, who were on the top of the hill near Oycke, to prefs the enemy as much as poffible on that fide. Thefe orders were punctually obeyed ; and Auverquerque ordered Major-Gene¬ ral JVeeck to march with the brigades of IVajfe- naer and Oudenbergh which being fupported by Count Tilly with the Danijh cavalry under his command, palled through a narrow defile into a field where all the French houfhold were drawn up. The Confederate troops no fooner approached, than the French , who did not in the lead: ap¬ prehend being attacked on that fide, retired, and endeavoured to fhelter themfelves under the hedges between Wirtigem and the caftle of Be- veren towards the main body of their army, where the fire was very hot •, but the Prince of Orange-NaJ/au, with Count Oxenjliern , coming up with four brigades of infantry, led them on with great gallantry, paffed fome defiles, attack¬ ed the enemy in flank, and obliged them to give way. Thole, who were thus retiring, were forced back into the inclofures in great dilorder and it growing dark, many battalions and more iquadrons being in the utmofl: confufion, fome were cut in pieces, and others defired to capitu¬ late for their whole regiments. While this happened on the left, the Duke of Marlborough , who till then had been the whole time in company with Prince Eugene , vi- fiting the field of battle, leading on, polling, and ranging the refpe&ive bodies of troops ; but thinking now it would be more advanta¬ geous to feparate, and direCt in different places, arrived there, having left the care of the right to Prince Eugene , who {hewed great fatisfaftion in leading on the Englijh troops, whom he faw perform wonders •, fo that at laft the enemy finding themfelves charged and borne down on all fides by the Confederate forces, retired in the utmofl confufion, leaving great numbers of pri- foners behind them. Their dragoons favoured their retreat, and, to lave the troops of the houfhold, received feveral difeharges from the Confederate infantry, and were mofl of them either killed or taken. Night coming on, and the fire being diredled fo many ways at once, that it was impoffible to diflinguifh friends from enemies, the Confede¬ rate Generals gave pofitive orders to their troops to give over firing, and to let the routed enemy efcape, rather than to venture putting themfelves into diforder. This put an end to the daugh¬ ter, and laved the remainder of the enemy’s ar¬ my ; for, had there been but two hours more of day-lighr, in all probability their whole body of foot, and their right wing of horfe, would have 1708. been intirely cut off, they being furrounded al- mofl on every fide. During this memorable action, the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene gave their or¬ ders with fo . much compofednefs of mind and clearnefs of judgment, as feemed peculiar to thole two great men. They expofed their per¬ forms to the greatefl dangers, when necefficy re¬ quired it; and yet had both the good fortune to eleape unhurt. The Electoral Prince of Hano¬ ver had alfo a great lhare in the glory of the day. At the head of his father’s cavalry, he charged the celebrated troops of the French King’s houfhold, bearing down all that oppoled his career. The young Prince of Orange-Naf- fau, S cadtholder of FriJ'eland , and Father of the preient Prince of Orange , diltinguifhed himfelf likewile by his martial ardour, bravery, and con- duft.The brave Veldt-Marfhal d‘ Auverquerque , tho worn out with the fatigues of above thirty campaigns, and in a languifhing condition, ex- ei ted his expiring vigour, and was on horfe-back at the head of his troops in the hotted of the fire. Count Tilly , the Prince of mrtemberg, Lieute¬ nant-Generals Rantzavo and Nutzmer, Major-Ge- nerals IVebb and Cadogan, Brigadier Sabine, and, in lhort, all die Generals and Officers animated the loldiers every where by their own example. The different troops, of which the Confede¬ rate army confided, fought with fuch emulation of each other, that it was difficult to determine, which delerved the greated applaufe ; yet it was obferved, that the Pru/fiau Gens d' Armes figna- lized themfelves in feveral vigorous charges, which they made and fudained againd the Flinch cavalry, in which they lod near half of their number. If we may believe fome of the French Wri¬ ters, the Dukes of Burgundy and Berry and the Pretender had a great fhare in this battle ; but, if the Dutch accounts are to be credited, they, or at lead the two latter, only beheld the en¬ gagement from the fteeple of an adjacent vil¬ lage, and confulted their fafety by a timely re¬ treat. As for the other Generals of the enemy’s army, they committed feveral grofs errors, as well before as during the aflion, either for want of unanimity or judgment: But, for their troops, it mull be acknowledged, that, in general, they fought better at this time than they had done upon any other occafion. . The Pr ‘»& endeavoured by their partial rela- Tt, vitu n tions to palliate their defeat, and make a drawn ind’fputa- battle of it (1) s for which they had the only b l' " ,lc pretence of having faved their baggage. Now that could not be otherwife, fince they left it be- Marlbo- hind them, as they did likewife their artillery, rough having only made ufe of four or five pieces of g"g" c cannon (r) All that Father Daniel fays of it is in thefe words: ‘ Prince Eugene and the Duke of Marlborough being arrived at Oudenard by long marches, they palled the Sc held with their army, which they drew up in order. The French army arriving there at the fame time, in order of battle, gave the charge. The onfet was furious, and laded from four in the evening till night came on, which put an end to the fight. The army of France retired towards Ghent: The left, which made the rear-guard, remained upon the field of battle till it was broad day, and then marched off in good order, under the conduct of the Chevalier du Rozel, Lieutenant-General, the enemy, who attacked them, not being able to do them any mifehief.’ The Mar¬ quis de Feuquieres, in his memoirs, obferves thus: 4 Since we made no difpofitions for the encounter, our lofs of men, though very great, is not to be confidered as a decifive event: And indeed the confufion, as well as our extraordinary lofs, happened in the retreat we made in the night, when the troops were neither fenfi- ble where they fled, nor by whom they were conducted. In a word, the difprfitions for their engagements, and the motives which induced us to undertake it, ought never to be repeated in any future conjuncture. 0) A -6 The HISTORY i7oK. cannon during the whole action. But the field, where the battle was fought, of which the Con¬ federates remained matters, with fix or feven hundred of the enemy’s Officers, and about fe¬ ven thoufand private foldiers, who were made pritoners, together with ten kettle-drums, and above one hundred ftandards and colours taken, were all evidences ot an indifputable viflory on the fide of the Confederates. ‘/'vFrench The enemy retired in the night, by the k -./ g-i-jd road which leads through the village ot Huyfe retreat f rom Oudenard to Ghent. The Duke ot Veti¬ ll of me propofed to the Duke of Burgundy, that they fhould halt, in order to form their troops, and give their march, at lead, the air of a re¬ treat ; but his advice was unregarded ; tor, ot all the general Officers prefent, only the Count d' Evrcux was of his fentiment. Oblerving there¬ fore, that nothing was to be done with men ter¬ rified out of their fepfes, he gave the word for a retreat, which was no fooner done, than the Generals, as well as private Men, threw them- Jelves into the road of Ghent with the utmoft precipitation. The Duke of Vendofme looked with grief and fiiame on this lcandalous behavi¬ our : Finding, however, tweny-five fquadrons of his belt troops, and about the fame number ot battalions unbroken, he formed with thefe a rear-guard, and fo preferved the army from a fecond defeat, which would certainly have proved more fatal than the firft. The Confederates, in the mean time, conti¬ nued under arms, hoping to renew the engage¬ ment again the next morning, and impatient, in the mean time, for day, that they might have a true information how far this victory had ex¬ tended, of which the darknefs of the night left them in ignorance. To this end, as foon as it was light, the Duke of Marlborough ordered forty fquadrons from the right, commanded by [ i) A letter from the Field-Deputies of the States- General to the States-General: High and mighty Lords, By reafon of the fhortnefs of time, we could only let your High-MightinefTes know yefterday, that we engaged the enemy about four in the afternoon. Wherefore we give ourfelves the honour of lending your High-Mightinefles farther advice, that our army, having marched on Sunday night from Afche, took the route of LeJJines , in order to pal's the Deader at that place, without oppofition from the enemy, whom we had prevented by a fudden match; and, arriving there on Tuefday evening, we underftood, that the enemy were marched from Aloft towards Gavre, where they caufed bridges be made, in order to pal's the Scheld ; which made us believe they deftgned to poft themfelves upon the height of Oudenard, and hinder us from paf- ling the Scheld. And, though our Army was very much fatigued by the foregoing march, yet we refolved to proceed on our march yefterday, and, if poflible, to prevent the enemy. We detatched therefore fixtecn battalions in the night, to take poft on the other fide of the Scheld near Oudenard , and to lay the bridges neceflary for our paflage. Yefterday morning about nine we received advice, that the enemy had palled the Scheld, and were marching towards Oudenard, which made us haften our march as much as poftible, for fear our detatchment, that Was fent over, fhould be defeated, and ourfelves prevented in our deiign of paf- jj]fT the Scheld. But, by that time the enemy were come near Oudenard, they faw we had already taken of ENGLAND. Vol.iv. the Lieutenant-Generals Bulan and Lumley , with i-qS. a confiderable body of foot, to follow and attack the enemy’s rear guard, which they did with great vigour. But feveral Companies of French grenadiers, being advantageoufly ported along the highway leading to Ghent , killed and wound¬ ed feveral of the officers and private men of the Confederates, and obliged them to leave off the purluit, there being but one road, fecured by hedges and ditches, lined with the enemy’s gre¬ nadiers ; but no place for the Confederate ca valry to form themfelves in. On this occafior- feveral officers of the Grenadiers, commanded by Major Erwin, were killed or wounded ; and Ge nerat Meredith received a fhot in the cheek ; but the enemy, on their fide, were much greater fufferers. The regiment of Rijburg , which clofed their rear, was intirely ruined, and two whole Companies taken prifoners •, as Was like- wile Brigadier Pouricnne, who commanded the hindermoft Brigade, with feveral other Officers. As to the killed and wounded on either fide, the Allies reckoned among the (lain Major-Ge¬ neral BerenJ'dorf ; the Colonels Adercajz and Bai¬ ze n, Count Rantzaw, and Sir John Matthews , with Captain Dean ot the Britijh guards, and about eight hundred private men ; and, among the wounded, Lieutenant-General Natzmer , Major-Generals Gaudecker and Berner ■, the Co¬ lonels Groves , Pennyfeather, and four others •, a hundred and fixty other officers, and about two thoufand private foldiers; which lofs was abundantly repaired by deferters and prifoners, Germans , Swifs, and Savoyards, who lifted them¬ felves voluntarily in the fervice of the Allies. The French endeavoured to conceal their lofs with all poffible induftry •, but that it was much greater than that of the Allies, is evident from feveral very authentick accounts (1) ; from which it appears, that the number of prifoners taken from poft over the Scheld , which made them refolve to ftriks off to the right; but, to cover their march againft ours, they thought fit to throw troops into the hedges and into a village upon the Scheld below Oudenard. About three in the afternoon, as foon as our foot began to come up, it was judged advifable to attack the village, and thereby oblige the enemy to go no farther, but ftop their march. This attack was made with fo much vigour and fuccels, that the enemy were immediately driven out of the village, our men falling upon them with their bayonets on the muzzels of their muskets, and not firing a piece; fo that they prefently threw down their arms, and a whole Brigade, together with a Brigadier, furrendered prifoners. The few horfe, that had parted with the detatchment, attacked likewile the French fquadrons ported behind the village with fo much fuccels, that they were put into diforder and pulhed, our men taking from them eight or tend ftan¬ dards, and fome horfes. Hereupon the enemy were forced to face about to us, and form themfelves about four o’clock, when, moft of our foot being over, and formed, the general engagement began, fir ft on the right, and afterwards on the left wing. The fight was properly between the foot, and was obftinate; but our men got ground, and drove the enemy from one hedge to another, till night put an end to the com¬ bat. The horfe, who, by reafon of the broken ground, could not a&, were detached to the right and the left wing, and advanced fo far, that they attacked the enemy in flank and rear; which, when they per¬ ceived, they fell in the night into the utmoft confufion ; and part of them retired, with their baggage and ar¬ tillery, towards Ghent and Deynje ■, another part to- Book XXVI. 29 . A 1708. from the enemy amounted to feven thoufand men, among whom were two Lieutenant-Gene¬ rals, two Major-Generals, five Brigadiers, about thirty Colonels, above a hundred Officers of the State-Major, and four hundred Subalterns, together with feventy or eighty ftandards or co¬ lours. The larged lift, on the fide of the Allies, make the lofs of the enemy to be nine thoufand eight hundred prifoners, officers included; four thoufand two hundred killed and wounded; two thoufand four hundred deferted; in all N N E. nineteen thoufand four hundred: Taken befides, ten pieces of cannon, fifty-fix pair of colours, fifty-two ftandards, eight mir of kettle-drums, tour thoufand five hundred horfes. On the other hand, the loweft computation amounts together to fourteen thoufand feven hundred killed, wounded, and taken prifoners, without mentioning deferters; and the loweft calcula¬ tion, given by the French themfelves, allows their lofs to have been above ten thoufand men. The wards the road of Courtray, and, according to compu¬ tation, fix or feven thoufand furrendered themfelves prifoners, with three or four hundred Officers at their head; among whom are feveral Dukes and General Officers. Had not the night come to their affiftance, we believe they would have faved very little of their ar- my. We therefore congratulate your High-Mighti- neffes upon this compleat victory, which God Almighty has fo gracoufly vouchfafed, and which gives us an opportunity, with this victorious army, and that of Prince . Eugene, who was prefent at this aCtion, to ex¬ tend the frontiers further, and bring the enemy to rea- lon. Each General made fo good a difpofition, and every reg.ment attacked the enemy fo well, and with fo much intrepidity, that it was impoffible for any one to diltmguilh themfelves in a particular manner Our lofs, God be thanked, is fo fmall, that there is not as we know of, one regiment out of a condition to make the reft of the campaign. Among the horfe our lofs is nothing at all. Nor do we yet know, that we have loft any Head-Officer of the State. With which High and Mighty Lords, £sV. ’ Signed, Oudenard, July 12, Ford. Van Collin, I 7 oS - “1 Ardenbroecl, 0, Van Gojlinga , Count of Rechtereriy B. Van Vanvelde , Mr. Van Birfellt lot Geliermalfen. P-J-. Wc conf,dering the importance of this affair we ftiould not do arnife, in fending this to your Hlgh-Mightineffes by the Head-Officer Coil, who may have the honour of informing your High-Mighti- neiles of more particulars. ° 6 fo * l e 2 ’,? atwehave - entir£ ' 5 ' beaten «>e enemy, and forced them to rente ,n great confufion, feme twards Courtray , and others towards Ghent. the l! 0n ° ur t0 con S ratuIat e their High- MightineiTes upon this important victory. We fhall endeavour all we can to make out advantage of it The enemy will have much ado to bring their armv The lof f e, h T” th \ year in a S ood condition. The lofs ot the (lain on their fide is very confiderablc befides a good number of Officers (fome of them of diftindtion) and common foldiers, prifoners. We have alfo taken feveral ftandards and colours, of which I will fend their High-Mightineffes a lift by the next courier. J CAt The bravery and wife condufl of the Duke of Marl- borough and Prince Eugtni cannot be enough com¬ mended, nor the zeal and courage of the other Gene ' a ‘ s °A u at r’’ ' Vh ° did al1 wbich «l*ir duw and regard for the ferv.ee required of them. All the Of ij l" d Tl W Without diflin aion, did all that could be expefled from brave men and good foldiers We fent out a body of horfe and foot thif morning £ purfue the run-away enemy, and fcatter them yet more From the camp of Oudenard, July 12,1708. Tour Lordjhip's Humble and obedient Servant , Auverquerqu£„ Vclt-Marjhal d’Auverquerque’r letter to the Greffer Fagel. On Monday laft, at feven o’clock, we broke up fas I have already had the honour to acquaint your Lord Imp) with the army from Hirfilinghm near En - glum. We marched the whole night, and the next day paired the Deader at and above Lejfinis Yefter day morning we marched again from LeJJhes towards G luimard, where we arrived about noon We had received intelligence, that the army broke up on Trnjday from the neighbourhood of Alojl, and were in- camped at Gavre, and that they alfo paffed the Seheld yefterday at that place; which indeed we found to be true, perceiving, upon our arrival at Ouienard, the enemy upon a full march towards Taurnay. We laid the bridges over the Seheld in their fight, and our troops paffed the river with an unfpeakable fpeed and courage. About two o’ clock the greateft part of our army had paffed, with which the Duke of Marlbo¬ rough and Prince Eugene formed the right wing near Eroan-Cajlle, about half a league from the town, and began t° engage the enemy in a battle. In the mean time I marched likewife with the troops of the States r™™!"?! irft Wi " E ’ in 0rder t0 attack 'he nhfc d’, Wh ' C ? 1 d ‘ d ab ° Ut fiv,: °’ clock > having been obliged to make a great round to come at them : And Goshas been pleafed fo t0 blefs the arms of the High Mr. Cardonnel’r letter to Mr. Cole at Venice. Camp at Oudenard, July 12, 1708. As foon as the enemy had an account, that our armv had paffed the Deader at Ltpus, they recalled their troops that were come to invert Ouienard, and marched with their whole army to Gavre, where they began to pafs the Seheld yefterday morning, and con¬ tinued palling till about four in the afternoon. And as my Lord Duke was refolved to purfue them, in order to engage them to a battle, Major-General Cadogan was font away very early with a ftrong detachment to pafs the fame river through this town, and to make bndg f army, which followed with all poffible diligence, to prevent the enemy’s parting the Ly J ’ " the "i r f ea ' towards tlle hies. Accordingly, about three in the afternoon, the detachment, with the head of our army, began to attack the enemy in their march; and in a little time, Brigadier Sabine, at the head of his Brigade, beat feven of the enemy’s batta- hons, of whom he killed a great number, and took moll of the reft prifoners. The enemy then formed their line, and the battle began about five, and lafted with great firmnefs till near ten at night, it being chiefly the foot that were engaged, the enemy dill re? tiring; fo that, befides a great flaughter, we made a great number of prifoners. We cannot yet give the particulars of this great viftory; but fome thonfands of prifoners, and, among them, fome general Officers are already brought into town. Forty Squadrons of horfe, with twenty battalions of foot, are in purfuit of rCft tot T hClr , army> which is re 'iring towards u L ° rd Duke > with the Pr! " c = of Savoy, and Monueur d’Juverquerque, continued on horfe-back u the 77 17 08. O M 1 I The HISTORY The Dukes of Burgundy and Berry* with the Pretender, reached Ghent the morning alter the battle, by five o’clock j and about nine, the Duke of Vcndonmfi who brought up the rear, arrived there alio. As they were apprehenfive of being purfued by the whole Confederate army, the Duke immediately commanded his troops to march through Ghent to Lovendegen , of ENGLAND, Vol. IV. on the canal, not far from that City; where, 1708. for their greater fecurity, they caft up intrench- ments, and planted upon them their artillery, which they had lefe at Gavre with their heavy baggage. In this camp they recovered them- felves out of their firft confternation •, but the former mi funder handings revived among their Generals, efpecially between the Dukes ol Bur¬ gundy the whole night, to animate our troop: the neceflary orders for the purfuit. and to give encouraged to profecute their firft defign, and began to pafs over two bridges, which they had laid. A: fall as their liorfe and foot came over, they ranged them felves in order of battle againft us; and while our Generals were in fufpcnfe what refolution to take, whether to venture an engagement or not, the ene¬ my’s army continued coming over the river, and loon P. S. Since the writing of this, we have an account p 0 flefled them felves of feme villages and hedges, lo I am, &c. H. Car don ne l. of about fix thou find piifbners brought into the town, befidcs near five hundred Officers, of which fevcral are of note. I hartily congratulate with you on this great and glorious vi&ory, isle. Letter from the Duke of Marlborough to the Earl of Manchcfter. My Lardy Camp at Werwick, July 15, 1708. I return your Lordfhip many thanks for the favour of your letter of the 22d of laft month, and am glad to fee your Lordfhip was like foon to have juft faul- faction from the Republic of lmice. "You need not doubt then, but the Queen will readily grant your de¬ fire of returning home. Wc are in great expectation of Sir John Leake's being failed fur Catalonia, where the fuccours from Italy will have been very much wanting. Wc hear the Duke of Orleans perfifted in the fiege of Tortofa, notwithftanding the lofs of his provifion-fhips taken by our fleet. "Your Lordfhip will have heard with concern the enemy’s taking the that, at laft, our Generals were compelled to endea¬ vour to di{lodge them. Accordingly, our infantry ad¬ vanced, and the ground was dilputed two or three hours, with ateriible lire and great obftinacy on both fklcs; but our foot being tired with charging the ene¬ my five or fix times, and being difheartened to fee themfelves not fupported by our horfe (who could not a£t, becaufe the ground was full of inclofures) and prefl'ed hard by the enemy, were, at length, forced to retire, and quit the ground to them. We dragoons were obliged to endure the continual fire of the ene¬ my’s foot and cannon, without daring to ftir, becaufc we were on the right of the King’s houfliold, who fuft'cred as much as we. Towards the evening we were fallen upon by a great number of the enemy’s horfe, to hinder us from fuccouring the reft, who were put to the route, and of feven regiments of dragoons we loft above half. At laft, weTad no other expe¬ dient left, than to force our way through the enemy; but firft we fent to fee whether we could be affifted in that defign by any of our forces. In the mean Will nave iicaiu wnu '.uh'.'.iji - , • c a Citv of Ghent by the treachery of Come of the inha- time night came on apace, and we were informed, bitants But the good news that will foon have fob that the King’s houfliold (whofe retreat was covered lowed of our defeating, on ll'edne/iay laft, part of in forme mealure by us) were at too great a diftance. their army near Oudenard, and obliging them to retire Things Handing thus our refolution of breaking behind the canal between Ghent and Bruges, will have through the enemy funk, and, fome of tire enemy s ad- made feme amends. We took betwsen fix and feven jutants fummonmg us to yield ourfelves prifoners oi thoufand prifoners, befidcs about feven hundred Offi- war, we fubmitted to it, feeing no other way to fave ccrs of which feveral are of note, and a great number our lives. At lead forty of our regiments are redneeu of ftandards and colours. Our arnty lay on their arms to a wretched condition, the greateft part of them that night, and on Thurfia, incamped on the field of being killed or taken; fo that it wsll be long before battle: On Friday we relied, the troops having need of they can be re-eftabliftted Of four regiments of the fome eafe, after their great fatigue; and about mid- King’s houfliold, at leaft half are taken prifoners, an night we detached forty fquadrons and thirty battalions among them are feveral perfons of note. The Cheva- towards the enemy’s lines, between Wancttm and lier de Longuradle and fifteen other Officers were mor- Ytres The whole army followed by break of day, tally wounded, and two of them are dead Irnce the ITmcamp«cl at Helehin, whence we purfued our march battle The regiments of Pfiffer and KUan , are qur = to-Jay to this camp clofe to the lines, which we found ruined, and almoft all their Officers are taken, with our detachments had forced, and taken five hundred all the.r baggage Vc • Amongft the prifoners were nrifoners, the only guard the enemy had left for their above feven hundred Officers, wz. a Lieutenant-Cre- fccuritv We do not think, that their army is marched neral, tour Major-Generals, five Brigadiers, fourteen . . t i t- -:.i. .u-:- — n\tr.„r. Colonels, eight Lieutenant-Colonels, nine Majors, two hundred and fix Captains, one hundred and forty feven Lieutenants, ninety-fix Cornets, one hundred and eighty-fix Gens d'Armes, Chevaux Lcgcrs , or Life¬ guards, and forty-feven Quarter-Mafters. The Mar- quifs de Xirnencs , Colonel of the regiment of Royal Roufdlon , and the Sieur de la Betrache , Colonel of liorfe, with a great number of other Officers, were killed. from behind the canal, which, with their polleffing of Ghent, will be a great obftruftion to our bringing up our heavy cannon and other artillery; fo that I fear ue {hall be obliged to retake that place, before we can make any further progrefs. Extra el of an intercepted letter from a trench Officer, who was in the battle. I can only fend you an unwelcome relation of the particulars of the battle, which happened yefterday about two in the afternoon near Oudenard. It will prove a great blow to France ; for, without exaggera¬ ting the matter, we had above ten thoufand men kil¬ led, wounded, or taken. Theaftion was very ill ma¬ naged on our fide ; for, inftead of attacking the ene¬ my when they began to pals die Scheld near Oudenard at eleven in the morning, wc let them come over the river quietly, which they never would have adventured A letter written by one of the Duke of Vcndofme ’s confi¬ dents, fuppofed to be Monfieur Capiftron, the Duke's Secretary. Away with your confternation, Sir, and do not be¬ tray in yourfelf the weaknefs common to your Nation, who never light of a misfortune, but prefentlv all is loft. I tell you, in the firft place, that the reports you hinted to me are falfe, and the Duke of Vcndofme to do* 1 had^wc, in any tolerable manner offered to dif- laughs at them. As for the three marches which he pute their paflage; but feeing us Hand ftill, they were fuffered to be ftolen from him, and his not guarding > Book XXVI. 29. A 1708- gundy and Vendofme, who, notwithftanding the ' interpofition of the Court, could never be brought to a reconciliation ( 1 ) . While the French were intrenching themfelves behind the canal between Ghent and Bruges, the Confederate troops being returned to their camp (which was the field of battle) they relied two days. Mean time the Duke of Marlborough, Prince Eugene, Monfieur Auverqucrque, and the States Deputies, debated in a Council of war, how they might belt improve their late fuccefs. The refult was. That the Duke of Marlborough’s army (hould immediately march to Menin, pafs the Lys, level tfte French lines between Tyres and fVarneton, and hinder any detachment from getting into Tree, or the French army from re¬ aring that way ; and that Prince Eugene, with a detachment of the grand army, (hould march, at the fame time, towards Bruffels, to affemble his forces, obferve the motions of the Duke of Berwick, and hinder likewife the enemy’s army near Ghent, from retreating through Brabant the fame way they came. According to thefe refo- lutions, Count Lottum, General of the Pruffmns, marched, the i3thof7»fy, at night, with thirty battalions, and forty fquadrons, the next day ad¬ vanced towards the French lines, and took leve- ral fmall places. The fame day the army took their route towards Menin, puffed the Lys near that place, and encamped at a fmall diftanre from the town. Whilft a detachment from tire Con¬ federate army demolifhed the French lines be¬ tween Tyres and the Lys, another was fent to raife contributions as far as Arras, which lfruck the Dender, every body knows, the Duke of Vendofme was for difputing the paffage of that river ; and that, after three days conteft, he was forced to fubmit to the fentiments of thofe, who, to avoid an engagement, voted for palling the Scheld. However it was then, that they were obliged to own, what that Duke had foretold them, viz. That, whenever Prince Eugene underftood they had a mind to avoid fighting, he would force them to do it, whether they would or no. As to what they fay, that the Duke of Vendofme ought to have attacked the van of the enemy’s army, in their palling the Scheld, he knew better things. For as foon as he received advice from the Marquifs of Biron, that part of the enemy’s army was over, he was for attacking it, while he faw the dull: made by the columns of that army on the other fide of the ri¬ ver, about half a league from Oudenard ; but he was fingle in his opinion, and confequently not hearkened to.° This was at ten in the morning. At four in the afternoon Major-General Grimaldi was ordered, with¬ out the Duke of Vendofme’s knowledge, to begin the attack ; which, however, when he faw, he was for continuing it. Accordingly he fent Monfieur Jenet, his Aid de Camp, to the left, with orders for them to engage, but he was killed in his return. Thefe or¬ ders °were not executed, fome Officers infinuating mal d propot to the Duke of Burgundy , that there was a quagmire and an impracticable morals; whereas the Duke of Vendofme’ s and the Count d’ Evreux had palled an hour before. As to the retreat, the Duke of Vendofme was not for it; but, as he was backed in his opinion by the Count dl Evreux only, he was again obliged to fubmit. No fooner therefore had he given the word for the army to retreat, but all got on horfeback, and with aftonilhing precipitation fled to Ghent ; and there were not want¬ ing thofe, who advifed the Princes to fet out poll from thence for Tpres. The Duke of Vendofme, who was obliged, for a good part of the time, to make the rear-guard with N N E. 79 fuch a terror every where that it reached the very 170S. City of Paris. Whilft thefe affairs were in agitation, the Confederate troops expeCted their heavy cannon, in order to undertake an important fiege; and the French continued in their pofts along the ca¬ nal of Bruges , without giving the Allies any difturbance. The only method they pitched up¬ on, as moft proper to be put in execution, was to harrafs the Dutch Flanders with fmall parties. This they did, and, whilft the Confederate army raifed great contributions in Picardy and elfe- where, the French plundered a few Boors under the Government of the States. Their next at¬ tempt was againft the forts of the Rcd-Houfe , and fort Plajfendale, which they made themfelves mafters of fword in hand. But, whilft they were endeavouring to am life the Confederates by thefe proceedings, feveral detachments of the Allies plundered the countries of Picardy and Artois. Couny ‘Tilly, the Lieutenant-Generals Orkney, Rantzaw, and Hompefch , the Major- Generals Webb, Rantzaw, and Count d'Arbach , with forty fquadrons, twelve battalions, and a thoufand grenadiers, advanced into Picardy , to lay the fame under contribution, or to put that province under military execution. This detach¬ ment fell in with eight hundred horfe near la Bajfee and Lens (part of the cavalry belonging to the Duke of Berwick's army) of which a confiderable number were killed, and a Colonel, a Major, a Captain, and two hundred Troopers taken prifoners. The Confederate troops pur- fued the enemy to the gates of Lens, wherein they his Aid de Camp, did not reach Ghent till almoft nine in the morning, when he made a firm refolution to poft the army behind the canal, which goes from that place to Bruges, though againft the advice of all the General Officers, who threatned for three days toge¬ ther to abandon him ; and faid, they ought to endea¬ vour to join the Duke of Berwick. That firmnefs fa- ved the King’s army, and France itfelf; for the fright the army was in would have caufed a greater difgrace than that of Rami/iies. Whereas the Duke of Ven¬ dofme, by porting himfelf behind the canal, has cover¬ ed Ghent and Bruges, which is the effential point, and thereby revived and put courage into the troops, and given the Officers time to recolleCt themfelves, and to know the Country. In a word, he has thrown the enemy out of aCtion ; and if they attack any of our ftrong places, as Tpres, Life, Mons or Tournay, the Duke of Vendofme will take Oudenard, make himfelf mafter of the Scheld, and fo puzzle them. This, Sir, is the very truth, and the fame the Duke of Vendofme has fent to the King, Gtc. (1) Burnet obferves, Vendofme took fo much upon him, that the other Officers complained of his neglect¬ ing them ; fo they made their Court to the Duke of Burgundy, and laid the blame of all his mifearriages on Vendofme. He kept clofe to the orders he had from VerfaiUes, where the accounts he gave, and the advices he offered, were more confidered, than thofe that were fent by the Duke of Burgundy: This was very uneafy to him, who was impatient of contradiction, and long¬ ed to be in aCtion, though he did not (hew the for- wardnefs, in expofmg his own perfon, that was ex¬ pected : He feemed very devout, even to bigotry ; but by the accounts we had from France, it did appear, that his conduCt, during the campaign, gave no great hopes or profpeCt from him, when all things (hould come into his hands : Chamillard was often fent from Court to foften him, and to reconcile him to the Duke of Vendofme, but with no effeCt. Vol. II. 509. ( 1 ) Life The HISTORY of E N G L A N D. Vol. IV. they had ported fourteen hundred foot, which the Prince of Orange-Najfau was detached with > 7oS. abandoned the place upon the approach ot the thirty-one battalions, to take port at Marquel Confederate infantry. After this the Generals upon the Deitle, within half a league of Lille railed conhderable fums in the province of Pi- and Lieutenant-General Wood, with thirty-four cardy, burnt the luburbs of Dourlens, and re- fquadrons, marched to Potteghem. The grand turned with hortages for the contributions they army marched likewife from their camp at Wer had agreed on to be paid to the Allies, without wick to Helchin ; and, the fame day Prince any manner of opposition. 77 - L ---- « ■ •' - * Some time after, a detachment from the French army at Lovendegen, under the command of the Chevalier de Rozen, made an irruption into the Dutch Flanders■, but they performed little more than the other part of the army commanded by the Duke of Burgundy. They fell in upon the Dutch lines of Bervliet, which they took, hav¬ ing no manner of guard to defend them, Lieu¬ tenant-General Fagel and Major-General Mur¬ ray retiring before them, for want of a Effici¬ ent force to make a (land ; their troops not amounting to more than three battalions, and a regiment of dragoons. Afterwards the French advanced, and fell into the Ifland of Cafandt , where they plundered and burnt above a hundred houfes belonging to the country Farmers and Boors, and befides, obliged the inhabitants of the Ifland to pay contributions. Thus they fi- niffied their expedition, without putting any thing farther material in execution, and retired back to rejoin their main body. This invafion of Dutch Flanders did not oc- cafion any alteration in the meafures that had been concerted for a confiderable liege ; in order Eugene, having paffed the Marque at Pont-q-Tref- f in > inverted the town between that place and the Upper Deule , whilft the Prince of Orange- Najfau did the fame with his detachment be¬ tween the Upper and Lower Deule ; by which means the enemy were ffiut up, and could put no further reinforcements int <5 the place. The Duke of Marlborough took upon him to cover the fiege ; and to that end incamped at Helchin , where he had a conveniency from time to time to reinforce the troops imployed in the liege, or to march and fight the enemy, as occafion ffiould require. This important fiege was to be carried on with fifty battalions ; fix Imperialism nine Pa¬ latines, five Hejfians, and thirty from the grand army ; and, all matters being put into a proper pofture for a vigorous fiege, the trenches were opened on the 22d of Augujl, between feven and eight in the evening, on the right and left of the Lower Deule ; the right againft the gate of St. Andrew , under the dire&ion of Monfieur des Roques, and the other againft St. Magdalen Gate^ under the care of Monfieur du Mey .Four thoufand workmen were commanded for this to which a great train of artillery, and a vaft fervice, covered by ten battalions of the bnpe nnmhpr nf ladpn umh warlike ft™ Palatine , and Hejfian troops, commanded by Lieutenant-General mike, and Major-General Volkerjhoven. Ten battalions and fix hundred number of waggons laden with warlike ftores, had, with all poffible expedition, been provided at Bruffels. Prince Eugene's army from Germany had now joined the Confederates •, and the French foreseeing the ftorm, and rightly conje¬ cturing, that Lijle was the place, which the Allies intended to bend their main force againft, had made proviftons fuitable to the greatnefs of the danger they apprehended. For, befides the pre¬ fence of the Marfhal de Boufflers , Governor of all French Flanders , and of the Lieutenants-Ge- neral de Sunjille , Lee , and other Officers of di- lli.netion, they threw into the place twenty-one battalions of the beft troops of France. But notwithftanding the difficulties, that muft natu¬ rally attend the fiege of fo ftrong and fo well horfe were ready to fuftain them; but the trenches were carried on with fo good fuccefs, that the Allies had above two hours time to cover them- felves, before they were perceived by the ene¬ my ; who made a terrible fire from the town, though with fo little Execution, that the Coni federates had not above three or four men kill¬ ed, and about fifteen wounded. On the a 3 d. Lieutenant General Pettenfdorf, in the fervice of the Eleftor Palatine, and the Major-Generals Sacken and Sohle, relieved the trenches with four Imperial and fix Hejfian battalions, and one thou¬ fand workmen at each attack. But Pettenfdorf provided a place, befides others occafioned by going from one attack to the other, and miffing the Confederates being cut off from their ma- his way in the night, had the misfortune to be gazines in Antwerp and Sas van-Ghent •, all which taken prifoner, and carried into the town The made the Duke of Vendofme fay, “ That he 24th, Lieutenant-General Spaar relieved tile “ did not think lo wife a Captain as Prince trenches, with Major-General Collier the Brimt “ Eugene would venture upon lo ralh an enter- diers Wajanaer and Keppel , and the ’Brillfh bat' “ prize j” yet nothing was able to deter the talions of Godfrey and Ingoldjby , two Prujfn •Sn fnp DnniH mnrrlo .-I * L.. 1—„ . 1 1 . r Confederate Generals from their refolutions. So that, having brought a great convoy of provi- fions, ammunition, and other warlike ftores from Li He in- Bruffels to Menin , Lijle (i) was inverted on the vcfiea. 13th of Augujl , N. S. on one fide by Prince Eugene , and on the other by the Prince of Orange-Najfau, Stadt-holder of Frijeland, in the following manner : The artillery being arrived at Pottes, and all things concerted for the fiege. the Danijh guards, and the battalions of Orange’ Bellem, Smarts, and Mey. The fame night’ three hundred and twenty grenadiers were com¬ manded to attack the Chapel of St. Magdalen wherein the enemy had a hundred and twenty grenadiers, with two Captains, and forne fub- altern Officers, who having loft one of their Captains, and about twenty men, the reft fur- rendered. The Befiegers had, in rhisaftion, near thirty (1) Lijle is a large, rich, and ftrong City, the Ca¬ pital of French Flanders , and, next to Paris, was rec¬ koned the chief place of the King of France's domi- North of Deway, thirty-fix South-Weft ofV/i 6 '!* nions. The Allies inverted it Augujl 13, 1708. The thirty-feven South-Eaft of Dunkirk, and thirrv Town was furrfcndered to them, 0Haber 23, and the almoft VVcft of Mens. ' ‘ ^' e ® n5 Citade!, December I I. It ftands among the pools and marlhes, fifteen miles Weft of Tournay, twenty-eieht North Of DeWrtV- fhirMr.Hv Q«..fL Book XXVI. thirty men killed and wounded ; feme Officers and Monfieur du Mey ("Direflor of the attacks) received a fmall contufion. The 26th the Be- fieged retook the Chapel, having made a Tally with moll: of the grenadiers and two fquadrons of dragoons. But the Prince of Orange-NaJ/au being in the trenches, caufed two battalions to advance, who retook it, and caufed the enemy to retire with precipitation, into the counterfcarp. The 27th in the morning, the befiegers fired fifty pieces of cannon and twenty mortars upon the town with fo good fuccefs, that they beat down one of the enemy’s batteries. On the 29th, early in the morning, the Confederate troops ftormed a fortified mill on the right near the gate of St. Andrew with three hundred gre¬ nadiers, beat the enemy from that poll:, and took feveral prifoners; but, ac the fame time, the enemy made fo terrible a fire from the ram¬ parts, that the Befiegers were obliged to quit it. The next day three hundred grenadiers were commanded to retake that mill, but the enemy let It on fire, and abandoned that poll. On the laid of Augufl the Prince of Utljhnn-Bcckn- Jteved the trenches ; and each battalion was or¬ dered to furmffi fix waggons, to carry Hones near the batteries, to throw the fame with mor¬ tars into the enemy’s works. The iff of Sep- tember, at night, the Imperialifts relieved the trenches, and the Befiegers carried on the Tap towards the faliant angle of the counterfcarp of the horn-work, within fifty paces of the pallifa- does ; and a vail: quantity of fafcines and ga¬ bions were prepared for making their lodgment on the counterfcarp. At the fame time the breach being very wide, and the ditch almoft filled up with the rums of the walls, Marlhal Bo'ifflers was apprehenfive, that the town would fall into the Confederates hands, and therefore ordered feveral of the larged pieces of cannon to be removed into the citadel. On the ath the Prince of Holjlm-Beck relieved the trenches ; as did alio Lieutenant-General Spadr the next day - and the approaches were carried on fo lbc- cefsfuliy that it was judged, the counterfcarp would be ftormed the fame evening ; but that enterprize was deferred till the 7th. Whillt the fiege of Lijle was thus vigoroufly LTi"' C " ne „ d on ’Dukes oi Burgundy, Vendofme, and Berwick made two or three feint advances as if they defigned to attack the Duke of Marlborough who, upon thofe motions, gave orders for his army to be ready to march upon the firft occafion; and, in the mean time, de¬ tached the Earl of Athlone, with fifteen hundred horfe, to obferve the enemy. The Earl advan¬ cing towards Leufe, his van-guard fell in with an hundred horfe, detached from the Duke of Berwick’s, army, whom they charged, defeated, and took thirty prifoners. The enemy made fe- veral marches and counter-marches, whereby it was apparent, that they defigned to attempt the rafting of the fiege. The Duke of Burgundy hkewife fent a ipy, to endeavour to' get into Lijle, and acquaint the Marfhal Boufflers that their army being on this fide Tourney, he migffi depend upon being relieved ; but that MeffenSer happened to be difeorered and feized by fire Allies. Upon this the Duke of Marlborough, m expeftanon of an engagement, ordered the Confederate army, on the 5 th of September, to march to the ground marked out for them, in 0 t"l g, L^aToL b iv! eiandbdner;in - tempt to relieve Lifle. dron d by , Pnnce Eu S‘»‘ with feventy-two fqua- ,, nR drons and twenty-fix battalions from the fie