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returned to the Siege, and took Monfanta, but could not fave Cafle Davide.

Let us now view the Sea Service this Summer. Sir George Rook with the Confederate Fleet, as we have told you, arrived at Lisbon the 7th of March, N. S. He fail'd thence the 16th to cruize off Cape St. Vincent, to fecure the Paffage of the Turkey Fleet, and fent out Detachments, who took feveral of the Enemies Ships. The Turkey Fleet being out of Danger, he return'd to Lisbon the 20th of April; where being reinforced by 4 English Men of War,and the Cruizers all come in, he failed (May the 8th) with the whole Confederate Fleet, confifting of 40 Sail of Line of Battle Ships, with the Prince of Hefe Darmstadt, a good number of Spanish Officers, and two Companies of Foot on board, and food for the Streights. Count de Thoulouse, with the Bret Squadron, appeared foon after off the Rock of Lisbon, and frighted the Portuguese, but he went off, and made the best of his Way to the Streights to join the Thoulon Squadron.

The Confederate Fleet failed to Barcelona, where the Prince of Heffe Darmstadt's Intereft gave them hopes of a kind Reception. But it did not fucceed, and fo the Fleet return'd. At the Ifles of Hieres the Admiral fent on Shore to take Prifoners for Intelligence, and at the fame time by a Ship come in from the Atlantick, had Advice of the Approach of Thoulouse; whereupon it was refolved that the whole Fleet fhould fail in queft of the Enemy. On the 7th of June they came in Sight of 'em, but the French took the Advantage of a Wind, and got off. The Fleet mifling this Opportu nity, failed through the Streights, and anchor'd at Lagos, received Sir Cloudfley Shovel with his Squadron, and fent afhoar for Provifion, and

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then fet Sail again for the Mediterranean, On the 17th of July, lying off Tetuan, a Council of War was held, wherein it was refolved to attack Gibraltar. On the 21ft they entred the Bay, and immediately landed 1800 Mariners, headed by the Prince of Heffe Darmstadt, and fummon'd the Town. The Governor ftood upon the Defenfive, and fo the Attack was pursued. Fleet fir'd (on the 23d) 15,000 Shot upon the Town, which beat the Enemy from their Guns. Boats were then fent on Shoar with Men to attack the South Mole, which was well executed. And in fhort, the Seamen on one fide, and the Landmen on the other, fo well performed their Parts, that by the 24th the Governor capitulated. Never was a braver Act performed. In three Days was taken a Town well fortifyd both by Art and Nature; for 100 Guns were planted on the Walls to the Sea Side, and on the Land fide there were but two narrow Paffes, which might have been defended by few against Thousands of ordinary Affailants; but the Seamen fought with fuch Intrepidity. that they carried all before them; and in fine, the Town was taken with very little Lofs on our Part.

The taking of a Place of fuch Importance put a damp upon the Duke of Anjou's Affairs, and fuch a Difgrace upon his and the French King's Power, that it was neceffary to give fome fmart Blow to recover it. Orders were therefore immediately fent to the Count de Thouloufe to meet and fight the Confederate Fleet, The French Admiral was well pleafed with thefe Orders, for befides a great Superiority in Strength, his Ships were all clean and full mann'd. The Confederates on the other Side, befides the Difadvantage in Strength, had

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A. D. loft many of their Men in the Length of the Time they had been at Sea, had spent their Provifions and Stores; and by the Expence of Ammunition in the taking Gibralter, were reduced to great Poverty in it. Befides all this, fix of the best Dutch Ships, and four of the Englife, were gone out but a few Days before to meet fome Merchant Ships which wanted Convoy. Judge then if the French had not a fair Profpect of a glorious Victory; and judge then what Applaufe is due to that Admiral, thofe Commanders, and thofe Seamen, who with all these Disadvantages fought the Enemy from Ten in the Morning till Night, kept their Station in Sight of the Enemy all the next Day, and all that Night, wherein they retired, and even purfued and came up with them the Day following, bravely offering Battle, if the Enemy had had Courage to attack them, but they chofe to take the Advantage of the Wind, and flink off. This Battle was fought off Malaga the 24th of Augu, N. S. Our Fleet failed to Gibraltar, where they refitted; and having put Men and Provifions into the Place, Sir George Rook failed thence the 4th of September N. S. arrived at Spithead the 15th of the fame Month O. S. and waited on the Queen at Windfor the 29th.

The Poffeffion of Gibralter by the Confederates was fuch a Grievance to the Spaniards, that all Ef forts were refolved to be made to recover it. The Marquifs de Villadarias was immediately fent with 4,000 Men to befiege it, and the Count de Thouloufe was to have been af fiftant to him in it, but the rough Treatment he received in the Engagement left it only in his Power to reinforce that General with 4000 Men out of his Men of War and Gallies. With this Force the Mar

quifs fat down before the Town, and opened Trenches the 22d of October N. S. Sir John Leak and Admiral Vanderduffen with 13 English and 6 Dutch Men of War, failed to Gibralter as foon as they heard of the Siege, and came thither with feafonable Relief, when the Ene my had made confiderable Breaches in the Fortifications. Alfo the King of Portugal and the Lord Galway immediately fent 26 Tranfports laden with Men, Officers, and Ne ceffaries; 16 whereof arrived safe in the middle of December, the o ther 4 were feparated by a Fleet of French Men of War, who took one, and the other three got back to Lisbon. With which Reinforce ments the Befieged were able to derend themfelves all that Winter, and oblige the Enemy to raise the Siege, as we shall fhew hereafter. The Bravery, Vigilance, Afinity, and Wisdom of the Prince of He Darmstadt is exceedingly applau ded, and the Courage and Patience of the Soldiers in the fevere Duty and vaft Fatigue they underwent was incomparable. Thus much for the State of the War this Year. We fhould now return Home; but that one Foreign Affair although remote requires our Notice.

The Hungarians, as we have faid, iaft Year raifed an Infurrection a gainft their Sovereign the Emperor. Which being a Load upon tha Prince in Prejudice to the Alliance, her Majelly with the States-General were pleased to offer a Mediation of Peace between his Imperial Majesty, and his Hungarian Subjects, where, by their Envoys, they laboured all the Summer, but to no Purple; the two Parties not being brought to pacifick Terms.

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Affairs in England were fo barpy and quiet, that no Matter for Hiftory offered it felf this Sum

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On the 24th of October the Parliament met, to whom her Majefty made a most gracious Speech, intimating that as the great and remarkable Succefs, with which God had bleffed our Arms this Summer, had stirred up all her Subjects to express their Joy and Satisfaction, the affured her felf they came difpofed to do every thing that is neceffary for the effectual Profecution of the War, Nothing being more obvious, than that a timely Improvement of the prefent Advantages would enable us to procure a lafting Foundation of Security for England, and firm Support for the Liberty of Europe. This, faid her Majefty, is my Aim, I have no In tereft, nor ever will have any, but to promote the Good and Happinefs of my Subjects. Then defired the Commons to provide the neceffary Supplies, and earnestly recommended Unanimity in their Councils.

Both Houfes prefented their Addreffes of Thanks to her Majefty, congratulating her upon her glorious Victories, and declaring their Loyalty and affectionate Zeal to her Service.

The Commons were expeditious in the Queen's Bufinefs. On the 29th of November, the Supply for the Navy was voted, and on the 11th, 14th, and 16th of the fame Month, the Supplies for the Army were voted. The Sum for thefe Services were thus: For maintaining 40,000 Seamen, including 8,000 Mariners, 4 Pounds per Man per menfem for thirteen Months, which makes 2,080,000l. For the ordinary of the Navy, 100.000 l. and 40,000l. for Ordnance Stores for Sea Service, over and above the Proportion of the 4 l. per Man. For making a Wharf and Store Houfe at Portsmouth, 10.000 4. For 40,000 Landmen to act in Conjunction with

the Allies, 885,193 . For 10,000 4. D, additional Forces for the fame Ser- 1704. vice; 177,511 . For maintaining 10,000 Men to act in Conjunction with the Forces of the King of Portugal, 222,379 1. For her Majesty's Proportion of the Subfidies to her Allies, 370,1197. For her Majefty's Subfidy to the Duke of Savoy, from October 3, to December 25, 1703, 40,000. For Levy Money for recruiting the Horfes of the English Horfe and Dragoons loft at Schellemberg and Blenheim, 6,725 l. For recruiting the Men and Horses of the Foreigners in her Majesty's Pay in the fame Battles, 24,665 %. For an additional Regiment upon the Portugal Eftablishment, 5, 1367. For Surgeons in the Hofpital in Portugal for the Year 1704, 244 %. For Expences in the Portugal War laft Year not provided for by Parliament, 68,546 7. For Guards and Garrisons in England, 357,000 l. For the Ordnance of the Land Service, 120,000. For Transpors 60,000 7. For circulating Exchequer Bills, 4000 . And for 5,000 additional Forces to be raised in Conjunction with our Allies to ferve with the Fleet, for their Levy, 11,244. for their Pay for one Year, 87,125. In all, 4,670,4861. To raife which, they gave a Land Tax for 45. in the Pound, and the Duty upon Malt, and upon the Fund of 3,700l. per Week out of the Excile, 877,930 1. for purchafing Annuities for 99 Years. at 15 Years Purchase. A Subfidy on Wines and Merchandize for four Years, as a Fund for raifing 646,957 l. for the Ufe of the Navy. And the Duty upon Low Wines, &c. continued.

Not long after the Supplies were granted, Mr. Bromley moved in the Houfe, that a Bill to prevent Occafional Conformity be brought in. Which was ordered, and read a first and fecond Time, when the bet

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A. D. ter to fecure its paffing, it was mo1704. ved that it be joined to the Bill for the Land Tax; And the Queftion was put accordingly. But it paffed in the Negative. No's 251, Yea's 134. This Attempt ruin'd the prefent Power of the High-church Party; for it was confider'd that fuch a Proceeding in the Commons was intended to take away the Negative Voice in the Houfe of Lords and the Sovereign. And that the Lords, to maintain their own Right, would affuredly have thrown out the Money Bill for the Sake of the Tack; which would have occafioned a Diffolution of the Parliament, and that would have fo delay'd the Preparations for the next Campaign, as to be very injurious to ourselves and all Europe. This being obvious to every Capacity, raised such an Indignation in the Nation against the Tackers, as made many of them lose their Election at the Choice of the next Parliament, The Bill went thro' the House of Commons, and was fent up to the Lords, read a first Time, but deny'd a fecond Reading by a Majority of 21 Voices.

The principal Matters debated on in this Seffion. were, The Affair of the Ailesbury Election, the Scotch Security A&t, and an Enquiry into the Administration of the Admiralty. Thefe two laft began in the House of Lords by a Speech of the Lord Haversham, November the 23d. He feemed to lay a Blame upon every Part of the publick Adminiftration. But thofe relating to the Admiralty and the Scottish Affairs, were all the Lords thought fit to meddle with, On the latter they debated long, and in the Iffue agreed upon a Bill to obviate the Dangers from the Security Bill, which they paffed, and fent down to the Commons. But that House having one of their own to the fame Pur

pofe before them, laid by that from the Lords, and paffed their own, which afterwards was agreed to by the Lords, and received the Royal Affent.

The Addrefs prefented by the Lords to the Queen the 5th of February, relating to the Admiralty, exhibited a Charge of Misfeifances, confifting of these three Sorts. 1. That during the 3 preceeding Years, 366,032 had been expended upon the Navy, more than was appointed by Parlia ment. 2. That lefs Money had been paid to the Service of the Navy than was intended, by 1,142,361 L whereby the Debt to the Navy which in 1702 was 1,016,767 ↳ was increa fed to 2,266,864 1. 3. That 1566Men were wanting laft Year of the Complement of Seamen provided for by Parliament. And 4. That too large Salaries were given to the Prince's Council, and others. The Council of the Admiralty laid before her Majefty an Answer to all thefe Objections, which being in Print, we muft refer to, as not being able to reduce it in a Compass narrow e nough for this Place. I fhall note this only, that they declared the Funds given to the Navy, had produced fhort of what they were giv en for by 1,194,249 L.

The Duke of Marlborough had made a Journey to Berlin after the Campaign, to make a Contract with the King of Prufia for 8000 Vien, to ferve under the Duke of Savy, which he effected to the great Satis faction of the Queen and Parliament; this hindered his Return home till the 14th of December, when appearing in the House of Lords the next Day, he was complimented and congratulated in the Name of the whole Houfe by the Lord Keeper. The Houfe of Commons alfo voted him Thanks, and delivered it by a Committee. On the 11th of Far ary, the Houfe of Commons

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nimoufly voted that an Addrefs be prefented to her Majefty, that fhe would be graciously pleased to confider of fome proper Means to perpetuate the Memory of the great Services performed by the Duke. Her Majefty foon after was pleafed by a Meffage to declare to the House, That having taken their Addrefs into Confideration, fhe inclined to grant the Intereft of the Crown in the Honour and Manor of Woodfrook and Hundred of Wotton, to him and his Heirs, and defired their Af fiftance thereupon. The House immediately refolved to bring in a Bill to confirm the faid Grant, which was done accordingly and paffed into an Act.

On the 14th of March the Queen came to the House, paffed the Bills, and made a Speech, wherein the thanked them for their Difpatch, exhorted to Union, and hinted at the fatal Effect of unreasonable Humour and Animofity we fo narrowly efcaped this Seffion. And then the Parliament was prorogued to the 1st of May.

Along with the Duke of Marl borough, came over thofe of the French Prifoners that were thought fit to be detained in England. On the 16th of December they were landed at Blackwall, and fet forward that Afternoon to the Places they were appointed to refide at. The Marthal de Tallard with fix other General Officers, a Brigadier and a Colonel of Dragoons, were fent to Nottingham. And the Marquifs de Marivaux Lieutenant General, with Sixteen Colonels, were fent to Litchfield. Our Proportion of the Standards and Colours taken from the Enemy, being brought from on Board the Yatches to the Tower, were there received by her Majefty's Foot Guards, and on the 3d of January, with decent Ceremony, carried publickly to Wi

minster, and hung up in the Great Hall.

We left Gibraltar befieged by the French and Spaniards, under Marfhal de Teffe, and muft now proceed to fhew the Iffue. Sir John Leak, we told you had put in Ammunition, and the King of Portugal had fent them Men and Neceffaries, with which they defended the Place well. But in the Middle of Febru ary, Monfieur de Pointis arrived from Cadiz at Gibraltar with 13. Men of War, and brought Cannon, Mortars, and Ammunition, for the Ufe of the Befiegers, which he landed, and enabled them thereby to redouble their Attacks, but by that time they had got their Batteries in order, Sir John Leak with the Confederate Fleet arrived, March 10, O. S. in Sight of the Bay. Eight of the Enemies Ships had been forced out by Wind a few Days before, and the remaining five had but just Time to get to Sea when our Fleet came up; they fled with all poffible Speed, but could not prevent our's coming up with them. The Arrogant of 60 Guns, the Ardent of 66, and the Marquifs of 56, were taken. The Magnanimous of 74 Guns, and Lys of 86, run aground, and fet themselves on Fire. At Malaga the Queen's Ships Swallow and Leopard run a French Merchantman on Shore, which the Enemy burnt. And the Expedition and Panther did the fame at Cape Gatt, to a French Merchantman of 250 Tons. This Blow effectually reliev'd the Town, for on the 20th of March the Enemy began to withdraw their Cannon and marched off, leaving only a fmall Force to blockade it.

At home there were further Changes made. The Duke of Buckingham refigned the Privy Seal, which was given to the Duke of Newcastle,

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