nine thousand men, for the conqueft of that extenfive empire. But the earl of Peterborough, a man of romantic bravery, offered to conduct them; and his fingle fervice was thought equivalent to armies.

The earl of Peterborough was one of the most fingular and extraordinary men of the age in which he lived. When yet but fifteen he fought against te Moors in Africa; at twenty he affifted in compaffing the revolution, and he now carried on the war in Spain almoft at his own expence; his friendfhip for the duke Charles being one of his chief motives to this great undertaking. He was deformed in his perfon; but of a mind the moft generous, honourable, and active. His first attempt upon landing in Spain was to befiege Barcelona, a ftrong city, with a garrison of five thousand men, while his own army amounted to little more than hine thoufand. The operations were begun by a fudden attack on fort Monjuic, ftrongly fituated on an hill that commanded the city. The outworks were taken by form; and a hell chancing to fall into the body of the fort, the powder magazine was blown up. This ftruck the garrifon that defended the fort with fuch confternation, that they furrendered without farther refiftance, The town ftill remained unconquered; but batteries were erected against it, and after a few days the governor capitulated. During the interyal, which was taken up in demanding and figning the neceffary form upon these occafions, a body of Germans and Catalonians, belonging to the English army, entered the town, and were plundering all before them. The governor, who was then treating with the English general, thought himfelf betrayed, and upbraided that nobleman's treachery. Peterborough, ftruck with the fuddennefs of the tranfaction, left the writings unfinished,

and

and flying among the plunderers drove them from their prey, and then returned calmly back, and figned the capitulation. The Spaniards were equally amazed at the generosity of the English, and the bafenefs of their own countrymen, who had led on to the fpoil. The conqueft of all Valencia fucceeded the taking of this important place. The enemy endeavoured indeed to retake Barce lona; but were repulfed with lofs, and the affai:s of Philip feemed defperate. The party that acknowledged Charles was every day encreafing. He became master of Arragon, Carthagena, and Granada. - The way to Madrid, the capital of Spain, lay open to him. The earl of Galway entered that city in triumph, and there proclaimed Charles king of Spain without any oppofition. Such was the beginning of the war, as conducted by the allies in Spain; but its end was more unfortunate and indecifive.

In the mean time the English paid very little regard to thefe victories; for their whole attention was taken up by the fplendor of their victories in Flanders; and the duke of Marlborough took care that they fhould ftill have fomething to wonder at. He had early in the fpring opened the campaign, and brought an army of eighty thou fand men into the field, which was greater than what he had hitherto been able to mufter. But ftill he expected reinforcements from Denmark and Pruffia; and the court of France was refolved to attack him before this junction. Villeroy, who commanded their army, confifting of eighty thousand men, near Tirelemont, had orders to act upon the defenfive; but if compelled, to hazard an engagement. The duke on the other hand, had received a flight repulfe by the defection of prince Lewis of Baden; and he refolved to retrieve

Ꭰ ;

retrieve his credit by fome fignal action. Villeroy had drawn up his forces in a strong camp; his right was flanked by the river Mehaigne; his left was posted behind a marsh, and the village of Ramillies lay in the centre. Marlborough, who perceived this difpofition, drew up his army accordingly. He knew that the left wing of the enemy could not pass the marsh to attack him, but at a great difadvantage; he therefore weakened his troops in that quarter, and thundered on the centre with fuperior numbers. The enemies centre was foon obliged to yield in confequence of this attack, and at length gave way on all fides. The horfe, abandoning their foot, were fo clofely purfued, that almoft all were cut to pieces. Six thouland men were taken prifoners, and about eight thousand were killed and wounded. This victory was almoft as fignal as that of Blenheim; Bavaria and Cologne were the fruits of the one, and all Brabant was gained by the other. The French troops were difpirited; the city of Paris was in confufion. Lewis, who had long been flattered with conqueft, was now humbled to fuch a degree, as almoft to excite the compaffion of his enemies. He entreated for peace, but in vain; the allies carried all before them; and his very capital began to dread the approach of the conquerors.

What

neither his power, his armies, nor his politics could effect, was brought about by a party in England. The diffention between the Whigs and Tories in England faved France, that was now tottering on the brink of ruin.

СНАР.

TH

CH.A P. XL.

ANNE. (Continued.)

HE councils of the queen had hitherto been governed by a Whig miniftry; for tho' the duke of Marlborough had first started in the Tory intereft, he foon joined the oppofite faction, as he found them moft fincere in their defires to humble the power of France. The Whigs, therefore, ftill pursued the fchemes of the late King; and, impreffed with a republican spirit of liberty, ftrove to humble defpotifm in every part of Europe. In a government where the reafoning of individuals, retired from power, generally leads those who command, the defigns of the miniftry muft alter, as the people happen to change. The people in fact, were beginning to change. The queen's perfonal virtues, her fucceffes, her deference for the clergy, and, in turn, their great veneration for her, began to have a prevailing influence over the whole nation. The people of every rank were not afhamed to defend the molt fervile tenets, when they tended to flatter or encrease the power of the fovereign They argued in favour of ftrict hereditary fucceffion, divine right, and non-reliítance to the regal power. The ipirit of Toryifim began to prevail; and the Whigs, wao had railed the queen into greatnels, were the fi.lt that were likely to fall by their own fuccefs.

The Tories, though joining in vigorous meafures against France, were, however, never ardent ly their enemies; they rather fecretly hated the Dutch, as of principles very oppolite to their own; and only longed for an opportunity of withdraw-. ing from their friendship. Ihey began to mediate fchemes of oppofition to the duke of Marl

borough..

borough. They were taught to regard him as a felf-interested man, who facrificed the real advantages of the nation, in protracting a ruinous war, for his own private emolument and glory. They faw their country oppreffed with an increafing load of taxes, which, by a continuance of the war, must inevitably become an intolerable burden. Their fecret difcontents, therefore, began to spread; and the Tories wanted only a few determined leaders to conduct them in removing the prefent ministry.

In the mean time, a pause of victory, or rather a fucceffion of loffes, began to diffipate the conquering phrenzy, which had feized the nation, and incline them to wish for peace. The army under Charles in Spain was then commanded by the lord Galway. This nobleman having received intelligence that the enemy, under the command of the duke of Berwick, was pofted near the town of Almanza, he advanced thither to give them battle. The conflict began about two in the afternoon, and the whole front of each army was fully engaged. The centre, confifting chiefly of battalions from Great Britain and Holland, feemed at first victorious; but the Portuguese horfe, by whom they were fupported, betaking themfelves to flight on the first charge, the English troops were flanked and furrounded on every fide. In this dreadful emergency they formed themselves into a fquare, and retired to an eminence, where, being ignorant of the country, and deftitute of all fupplies, they were obliged to furrender prifoners of war, to the number of ten thousand men. This victory was complete and decifive; and all Spain, except the province of Catalonia, returned to their duty to Philip their native fovereign.

An attempt was made upon Toulon, by the duke of Savoy and prince Eugene by land, and the English fleet by fea, but with as little fuccefs

as