A. D. bruary the 24th, and the Queftion 1707. then put, That timely Recruits for Spain had been wanting, it paffed in the Negative. And it was refolved that an Addrefs be prefented to her Majefty to thank her for taking Measures to restore the Affairs of Spain, and providing Foreign Troops for that Service.

In the beginning of this Seffion divers Merchants made Complaints to the House against the Admiralty with refpect to Convoys for their Ships. The Ruffia Merchants were heard November the 27th, and on the 13th of December divers others trading to Portugal, Spain and Italy. And feveral fmart Refolves paffed thereupon. The Houfe of Lords alfo made ftrict Enquiry into the Adminiftration of the Admiralty, and laid a Reprefentation of their Obfervations before her Majefty, which was afterwards printed. The Commons refolved, December the 18th, that a Bill be brought in to appoint Convoys and Cruifers for fecuring the Trade of the Kingdom, which paffed both Houfes, and received the Royal Affent. The Purport whereof was, That 44 Ships of War fhall be employed as Cruifers, which fhall be careened three times a Year, and the Seamen fhall not be turned over to other Ships. Such Cruifers fhall be Convoys to Merchant-Ships as far as Cape Finisterre. An Account fhall be kept and laid before the Parliament annually at what time any of thofe Cruifers come into Port, how long they tarry there, and when depart. All Ships taken from the Enemy during this War, and condemned as Prize, fhall be the property of the Commander, Officers, and Seamen, that fhall take fuch Prize. The Queen fhall give a Bounty to all fuch Captors of 5. per Man for every Man found on Board fuch Enemy's Ship at the time

fhe is taken: And alfo ten Pounds for every Gun fuch Ship carries, or hath Port-holes for. Another A& alfo paffed this Seffion for encosraging the Trade to America, wherein it was provided, That all Prize Offices fhould be fuppreffed after June 24th, 1708. The Flag, and other Officers and Seamen of every Man of War fhall have the fole In tereft in Ships and Goods they fha take in America. The Lord Adm ral, or Perions appointed by the A miralty, fhall give Commiffion Commanders of Ships to feize and take the Enemy's Ships or Goods in America, and their Captures being condemned in any of the Courts Admiralty for the Plantations, fl be divided amongst the Command ers and Seamen. No Perfon fering on board any Privateer or Trad ing Ship in America fhall be prefied by any Ship of War. Her Majefty may grant Commiffions or Charters to any Perfons or Societies for taking any Ships, Goods, Hr bours, Lands, or Fortifications of the Enemy in America, and enjoy the fame after the War. With many other very encouraging Pr vifo's.

The Acts paffed this Seffion re lating to Scotland, were, An A&r repeal the two Acts of Scotlan intituled, An At for the Secur of the Kingdom; and an Ad as Peace and War, as inconfiftent waż the Union. An Act for rendring the Union more compleat, where by the Privy Council in Senti was put down, Juftices of the Peace established in Scotland, Circuit Courts were appointed, and the manner of choofing the Rept fentatives in Parliament direc The Act for better fecuring her Ma jey's Perfon and Government pro vides that all Officers in Sets fhall take the Abjuration Oth There paffel alfo this Sefon 2

AC

to

A. D. the French to let flip, and therefore 1707. that Court refolv'd, by giving the Chevalier de St. George (which was the Tile the Pretender to the Crown of Britain was now known by) Affiftance, to make Great Britain the Seat of the War. Accord ingly a Fleet of Men of War and Tranfports were expeditiously fitted out at Dunkirk, and 10,000 Forces, with many Officers, much Ammunition, Artillery, and Arms, put on Board Major General Cadogan, who was her Majefty's Envoy in Holland, foon gave Advice of the Preparations, and then went Bruffls, and fo concerted Matters with Monfieur d'Auverquerque, that 10 Battalions of the English Forces in Flanders were immediately drawn down to the Coaft ready to be fhipped. The Admiralty here at the fame time applied fuch Diligence in fitting out a Fleet, that 23 Sail of Men of War under Sir George Bing and the Lord Durfely appeared before Dunkirk on the 27th of February, O. S. when the Enemy were promifing themselves we could have no Fleet abroad. The Pretender came to Dunkirk March the 9th, N. S. But the Sight of the English Fleet made the French Admiral Monfieur Fourbin write back to Court for fresh Orders. Ad to colour the Delay of Proceeding, 't vas pretended the young Prince was Sick. But the French King fending expres Orders to his Admiral to veture out, and the contrary Winds having forced our Fleet to withdraw to cu own Conft, on the 17th of March N. S. they fet fail. Our Fleet was by this time reinforced to the Number of 40 Sail of Line of Battle Ships, befides Frigates and Tenders. And Sir George Bg having receiv'd Advice that the Enemy was fail'd, fet Sail after them. At the fame time the Forces were flip'd off at Ofend, and Ad.

miral Baker convoy'd them ever. Thefe Forces, together with feveral Regiments of Horfe marched for Scotland with all Expedition. The French fail'd directly for Edinburg Fryth, but the bad Winds thes met with hindered them from ge ting thither till the 23d, N. S. th is the 12th of March our Style There are two Accounts of theis extant, one a Letter from Martha Matignon to Monfieur Chamillai the other from an Irish Officer et board. The former fays they d not go into the Frith, but frit our Fleet flood off immediately the other fays they had juft g: into the Fryth when the Engl Fleet came to the Mouth of it, and giving the Signal for anchoring, Fourbin, who underflood it, imat diately gave Orders to every Ship to flink out fingly in the Night. As foon as the Day appeared our Fleet difcover'd and gave them Cafe, but they out fail'd us, fo that except the Salisbury, a Man of War for merly taken from us, they all e fcaped. They roved about, w intention to Land at Inverneh, ta having no Pilots, and the W not permitting a Frigate, which they fent for fome, to get a Sher they flood off, and by difperi: themselves in that wide Sea, and a hazy Weather, made a fhift to ge back to Dunkirk, but in very form plight.

There were taken Priforers on board the Salisbury, the Lord Gr fin, the Lord Clermont, and M. Middleton. A Lieutenant General his Aid de Camp, a Colonel, : Lieutenant Colonels, 5 Captains and 2 Lieutenants, French Officers, 1 Iri Officers, 5 Companies of Fren Foor Soldiers, 250 Seamen, and 2 the Officers of the Ship.

And thus by the Bething of Go we were mot happily and w the leaft hurt, delivered from this threat

A. D. Berry alfo and the Pretender were 1708. in the Army, which was fuperior in Number to the Confederates, as being 197 Squadrons, and 124 Battalions. Several Marches and Counter Marches paffed, and there were daily Expectations of a Battle. The Confederates expected large reinforcements from the Rhine, which were to be conducted into the Netherlands by Prince Eugene, and therefore lay the more quietly in their Camp expecting them; which the French being apprized of, ventured to detach off a large Number of their Troops on the 5th of July, who advanced towards Ghent. The Elector of Bavaria, by his profufe Way of Living while Governor of the Netherlands, had ingratiated himself so much with that People, as to be able to keep Correfpondence with this Town, Bruges, and Antwerp, and difpofed the Inhabitants to betray them to the French. Ghent therefore was furrendered as foon as the French came before it, as was likewife Bruges the next Day. The whole French Army decamped at the fame time, and on the 9th invefted Oudenarde.. The Confederate Army made a long March after them the 6th, and being joined by Prince Eugene with part of his Forces, they threw in a Reinforcement into Oudenarde, and marched the 10th to the Camp of Lefines, which the French endeavoured to have poffeffed. The Enemy quitted Oudenarde, and paffed the Schelde, and the Duke of Marl borough and the Prince refolving to give them Battle, paffed it also. Which produced, on the 11th of July, the Battle of Oudenarde. The Action began at 3 in the Afternoon, but could not be called a general Engagement till towards 7, when the Battle became very furious on both fides; the French retired continually, but frefh Troops com

ing up, they maintained a Fight for fome time; but the Superice Courage of the Confederates, and the Bravery and Activity of the D. of Marlborough and Prince Eugru put them to the Rout, and an en tire Victory was gained. The French drew off in the Night, and made a tolerable good Retreat to wards Ghent, having loft above 10,000 Men, either killed or taken; for 700 Officers, and 7,000 privar Soldiers, befides 24 Standards, 5 Colours, and 5 pair of Kettle Drun were taken by the Confederat While on the contrary the lofs o the Confederate fide amounted to no more than 824 killed, and 2,145 wounded. And at the fame time abundance of Germans, Switz, and Savoyards deferted the Enemy, took Service with the Allies."

The rest of the German Reinforcements joyned the Army a few Days after, and then the Seige of LISLE was refolved on. The Artillery and Ammunition neceflary for the Siege was fent for, and in the mean time the Army broke thro' the Enemies Lines.

When the German Troops move! from the Rhine, the Duke of Ber wick, who commanded the Fren Army on that fide, marched with his Troops to Flanders alfo. Princ Engene observed thefe, while the Duis of Marlborough invaded the Est mies Country, and our Army lived t Difcretion there, the French lying it! entrenched under the Cannon Ghent. Auguft the 13th Life was invested.

This City was the Capital o French Flanders, a Place of that O pulency, Wealth, and Politenes that it was called Petit Paris, Lin Paris. And perhaps no City in the French Dominions except the Capital exceeded it. Nothing was wanting to render it fecure, for the Fortifications were made, as far as

could