could be, impregnable. The Siege vas long and terrible, and the French Army without made fhews of atempting to raise the Siege, but heir Courage failed them. They hen turned their Minds on stopping ip the paffage of the Schelde, to leprive the Befiegers of receiving Ammunition and Neceffaries: This ncommoded them till the arrival of Troops from England under Major General Earle, who landed at Otend Sept. 21. adminiftred relief. For it was refolved to fend 700 Wagons to Offend, to bring Ammuniion from thence by Land under the Convoy of part of thofe Forces. Acordingly the Waggons were loaded nd fent forward; but a Body of French under Count de la Motte beng fent to incercept them, Major General Webb marched with a Body of Troops to meet and reinforce he Convoy. This General being net by the French at a Place called Wynendale, in a Pafs between two Woods, difpofed his Battalions fo udiciously, and his Men fought fo bravely, that with 6,000 Men he maintained a Fight of 2 Hours against 24,000, with 40 Pieces of Cannon, and in the end made them Retreat in great Confufion. The Convoy in the mean time paffed undisturbed another Way, and arrived fafe in the Camp. The Lofs in this Action was 10 Officers and 111 Soldiers killed, and 62 Officers and 680 Soldiers wounded. The arrival of this Convoy enabled them to continue the Siege of Life, which otherwise muft very probably have been raised. October 3. the Ravelin was taken. Still great Efforts were made by the Enemy, to hinder the bringing in Ammunition. The Duke of Vendofme with 30,000 Men from Bruges and Ipres cut the Dikes, and overflowed the Country, thro' which it was to be brought from Oftend. But this Difficulty

was overcome by the help of Boats and good Management, and another good Quantity of Ammunition and Provifions was brought fafe into the Camp. October 18. Monfieur d'Auverquerque departed this Life in his Quarters at Rouffelaer, and Count Tilly took upon him the Command of the Dutch Forces. All Attempts of Diverfion on the French fide proving ineffectual, the Siege was carried on with that Vigour, that on the 23d of October the Town furrendered; but the Garrifon retiring into the Citadel, the Siege took up above 7 Weeks more; for the Elector of Bavaria made another bold Attempt of Diverfion, by a fudden March with an Army to Bruffels, and on the 26th of November began to fire upon the Town. But the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene advanced to its Relief with incredible Expedition; the News whereof obliged him the next Day to raise the Siege. In fine, after the extreameft Difficulties were furmounted, and the utmoft Bravery and Conduct fhewn by thofe Confummate Generals, the Citadel alfo was surrendered December the 9th.

The Duke, refolving to finish the Work, would not leave Ghent and Bruges in the French hands, he therefore commenced a new Siege, and opened Trenches before Ghent, Dec. the 24th, on the 30th they capitulated, and on the 2d of January the Garrifon marched out. Bruges gave him no Trouble, for the French abandoned

that. And fo this fuccefsful, but painful Campaign ended.

The Duke of Savoy this Campaign gained upon the French. He invaded Dauphine with Succefs. Exilles and Fenestrelles, two ftrong Fortreffes on the Frontiers of that Province, he made himfelf Matter of by fair Siege.

I i4

The

e Command of the Fleet in the editerranean.

An Affair happened this Summer, hich occafioned a Law in the next effion to prevent the like for the fure. Monfieur Matuof the Mufcoite Embaffador being about to deart Home; an indifcreet Creditor that Minifter arrefted him for Debt. He complained to the Secreary, and had the Arreft taken off; ut he refenting the Indignity, the Queen ordered a Profecution, and he Perfons concerned were afterards punished.

His Royal Highness Prince George f Denmark having been long trouled with a violent Athma, and ometimes fpitting of Blood, grew ery ill in October, and notwithtanding all Medicinal Applications is Afthma increafed, and was ac ompanied with a Cough, Bloodpitting, and a Coma or Sleepinefs, which ended in Convulfions, and inally his Highness expired October the 28th, to the exceffive Grief of the Queen. His Corpíe was interred the 13th of November, in King Henry VII's Chapel, and the Funeral attended by all the Officers of State, and the Nobility. His Highness was univerfally beloved in the Nation, and therefore the Mourning for him was very general.

On the 25th of November her Majelly conftituted the Earl of Pembroke Lord High-Admiral, and appointed the Earl of Wharton to fucceed him in the Lieutenancy of Ireland. And the Lord Sommers was made Prefident of the Council.

On the 16th of November the Parliament met, and chofe Sir Richard Onflow Speaker. Her Majetty's Grief not permitting her to come to the Houfe, fhe appointed Commiffioners to open the Parlia ment, in whofe Name the Lord Chancellor made a Speech, Wherein he recommended a larger Supply

for the Army in Flanders, and a larger Supply for the Fleet, Provifions of fuch Laws as might be neceffary to make the Union more perfect, and an Improvement of Trade and Manufacture.

The Total of the Supplies granted this Seffion amounted to 6,457, 8301. To raife thefe Sums, they gave the Land-Tax of 4 s. in the Pound. The Malt Tax, and 2,500,000 /. by Exchequer-Bills. For the Bank of England propofed to add 400,000 l. upon the old Fund granted to them, and upon Condition of their being continued a Corporation for 21 Years longer. They propofed to receive Subfcriptions for doubling their Stock, to enable them to circulate 2,500,000/. in Exchequer Bilis, praying that a Fund be appointed for paying off and cancelling the faid Bills in fome certain time. And that a Fund be granted for paying 150,000 yearly, being the Intereft for the faid Sum at 6 per Cent. with fome other Conditions relating to the iffuing the faid Bills. Which Propofal was received by the Parliament, and enacted accordingly. These were all the Grants, altho' they amounted to much less than was voted.

There pafled this Seffion an A&t for Naturalizing all Foreigners being Proteftants. And an Act to afcer tain the Privilege of Ambassadors.

The Lord Haverfham's Speech this Year turned upon the Defect of Arms and Ammunition in the several Cafiles in Scotland at the time of the late Invafion. Which occafioned fome fmart Refolves in the House of Lords. And

There having been fome Overtures made from France for Peace; It was refolved by the Lords, That an Addrefs be prefented to her Majesty, that he would be pleafed to take care at the Conclufion of the War, that the French

1709.

A. D. King be obliged to own her Majefty's Title and the Proteftant Succeffion, and that her Allies be Guarantees of the fame, and the Pretender be removed out of the • French Dominions.' And this Addrefs being fent to the Commons for their Concurrence, they concurred, and added to it, That the demolishing of the Fortifications and Harbour of Dunkirk be infifted upon in the enfuing Treaty. It was accordingly prefented, and her Maje. fty gave a moft gracious Answer.

Finally, An Act for her Majefty's Free and General Pardon paffed this Seffion. Which with 21 other Publick, and 31 Private Acts received the Royal Affent by Commiffion on the 21st of April. The Lord Chancellor made a Speech in her Majefty's Name, and then the Parliament was prorogued.

It must be remembered, that this Winter had proved exceeding hard, a Froft fet in at Christmas, and continued above three Weeks, wherein the Cold was more intenfe than any had been known. The Effect of it, bleffed be God, was not deftructive in England, but in France it made fad Havock, deftroyed their Vineyards, killed their Corn, tore the Trees, and ruined the Fruit. Which added to the bad Harveft for fome Years paft, left the whole Country in a ftarving State. At the fame time the King's Revenues being exhausted by the War, and all the Funds infufficient to enable him to pay the Intereft of what he borrowed, the Banquiers who remitted his Foreign Payments, were forced to make a ftop: and particular Perfons who had Money in the Hands of Mr. Bernard, the Principal of them, loft near a Million Sterling. Thefe Calamities, together with the great Loffes fuftained laft Year, and almost every Year of the War, made the French Monarch turn his

Thoughts, or feemed to do t leaft, to Peace.

Monfieur Petkum Envoy from the Duke of Holftein, being a Neuter, was forward to advance Propotal of Peace, and by his Negotiation, the Allies were prevailed upon to permit the Prefident de Rouille to come into the Netherlands on the part of France to treat of a Peace. In the beginning of the Year 1700, that Gentleman came to Antwers, where Monfieur Buys and Monfieur Vanderdufen on the part of the Con federates, held a Conference with him. The States gave immediat Advice to the Emperor, and the Queen, of what he had propofed; and Prince Eugene arrived at the Hague, March the 27th N. S. on the part of the Emperor; and the Duke of Marlborough on the 8th of April on the part of her Majelly. The Confederates having made their Demands, de Rouille communicated them to the French Court, and received Orders to agree to them. And the Duke of Marlborough returned to England to inform her Maje of the Progress made, and to receive her further Commands. The French Court feemed fo earneft, that the King fent the Marquifs de Ter, who arrived at the Hague May to finish the Negotiation. The Duke of Marlborough being returned, his Grace with the Lord Towabend were constituted her Majefty's Pienpotentaries. The French gave op the Monarchy of Spain, the Dutch Barrier, Dunkirk, and the Prince of Wales, but ftuck at Alface. The Emperor infifted upon that, and the French were allowed to depart, if they agreed not to all. They made a Grimace of departirg, bet tarried however, and had divers Conferences with the Allies. T in the end, May 28. they agreed to all the Articles, but would not ga them. The Marquils de Tera

ied the Articles to France to get the King's Ratification, and promised o return by the 4th of June. But nftead of that, fent a Letter to Prince Eugene, to tell him the King vould not agree to it. Monfieur de Rouille declared to the States, That is Mafter excepted against the 10th, 11th, 28th, 29th, and 37th Articles: Whereupon he was ordered to go in 24 Hours. But he defiring anoher Conference, it was granted, but o no purpose, for he had nothing o propofe, and the Allies continued o infift upon what was concluded n. And fo on the 8th of June that Minifter returned Home.

An Abstract of the Preliminary Articles for a Treaty on a General Peace.

A

Firm and lafting Peace and perpetual Alliance fhall be flablished between his Imperial Maefty and his Allies, the Queen of Great Britain and the States-General, c. on one part, and the moft Chriftian King on the other.

II. To attain which good End, preliminary Articles are agreed upon to ferve for the Foundation of the Treaties of a general Peace.

III. The moft Chriftian King fhall acknowledge King Charles III. King of Spain, and of the Territories dependant on that Crown, except what is to be given to the Crown of Portugal, the Duke of Savoy, and the States General.

IV. And forafmuch as the Duke of Anjou is in Poffeffion of Spain, &c. 'tis agreed, That the Treaties to be made fhall be finished in the term of two Months, to begin from the 1ft Day of June next, if poffible; during which time, Sicily fhall be put into the Hands of King Charles, and the Duke of Anjou fhall depart out of the Limits of Spain. And if before that time the Duke of Anjou do not confent to the Execution of this Agreement, the most Christi

an King with the ftipulating Princes and States fhall take proper Measures that it may have entire effect; that all Europe may speedily enjoy perfeet Tranquillity.

V. The moft Chriftian King shall within two Months withdraw all the Forces he has in Spain, Sicily, or in other part of the Spanish Dominions in Europe, and from the Indies as foon as poffible. Promifing not to fend henceforward to the Duke of Anjou, or his Adherents, any Succour whatfoever.

VI. The Monarchy of Spain shall remain entire to the Houfe of Auftria. None of its Parts fhall be difmembered, nor the faid Monarchy in whole or in part be united to that of France: Nor fhall one and the fame Prince of the Houfe of France ever become Sovereign thereof. No King who fhall reign in France fhall ever reign in Spain, or acquire within the extent of the faid Monarchy, any Towns, Places, or Countries in any part of it, especially in the Netherlands, under any pretence whatfoever.

VII. Particularly and Specially, France fhall never become poffeffed of the Spanish Indies, nor fend any Ship thither to exercife Commerce under any pretence whatfoever.

VIII. His most Christian Majefty confents to deliver up to his Imperial Majesty the City and Citadel of Strasburg, in the Condition they are now in, with the Fort Kehl, &c. and 100 pieces of Brass Cannon, which fhall be delivered up immediately after the Ratifications of the Emperor, and the Empire shall be exchanged at the Hague.

IX. The Town of Brifac and all its Territories fhall be restored to his Imperial Majefty and the Houfe of Auftria, with all its Dependencies and Stores by the end of June next, to be enjoyed by his Imperial Majefty as his own Property.

X. The