1706.

BOOK V. tions fruitless, and the golden opportunity lost, and resolving not to act in subordination to the earl of Galway, withdrew from the camp in high disgust, and without leave sailed in one of the queen's ships for Genoa; his pride and insolence causing his absence, notwithstanding the acknowledged 'greatness of his talents, to be very little regretted. The chief reason assigned for the fatal lapse of time during the weeks wasted at Saragossa, was the inability of his majesty to make his public entry into Madrid with the requisite magnificence; to which general Stanhope with warmth replied, "that king William, when he made his descent upon England, went to London attended only by a few dragoons, otherwise he had lost his crown." The success of the campaign, however, upon the whole was splendid. At the commencement of it, king Charles was closely besieged in Barcelona, and in imminent danger of being made a prisoner; but it terminated in the recovery of Catalonia, the security of Valencia, and the reduction of Arragon.

Military Transac tions in

Italy.

During this fortunate year the success of the allied arms in Italy was scarcely inferior to the uninterrupted series of triumphs they had experienced in Flanders. The duke of Savoy, who had acceded to the grand alliance in the expectation of being powerfully supported by the em

1706.

peror, seemed abandoned to his fate, which his BOOK V. resolution and courage served only to protract, but could not avert. Overpowered by the superior force and great military talents of his antagonist, he was at length reduced to take refuge in his capital of Turin, where, on the recall of the duc de Vendome, he was closely besieged by the French army under maréchal de Marsin, and the duke of Orleans, nephew of Louis XIV. The imperial court, determining to make one grand effort effectually to aid the duke of Savoy in this extremity, directed prince Eugene at the head of a powerful army to march to the relief of Turin. With such ability and such success did that celebrated commander execute this important commission, that, after surmounting all the numerous difficulties which obstructed his junction with the duke, and passing the Adige and the Po in the sight of the duc de Vendome, Victory at he attacked the French army in their entrenchments before Turin, and gained a most glorious and decisive victory-the unfortunate maréchal Marsin falling in the action. The duke of Orleans, after a great display of personal valour, was wounded and carried off the field. The lines were forced in all quarters, the French army put completely to the rout, and all the baggage, provisions, ammunition, and military-chest, fell into the hands of the conquerors. This event

1706.

BOOK V. was quickly followed by the final expulsion of the French from Lombardy-a treaty of evacuation being concluded between France and the emperor, in consequence of which a large body of troops were left at liberty to act in Spain or elsewhere, to the great dissatisfaction of the other powers of the alliance.

Campaign on the Rhine.

On the banks of the Rhine alone, where M. Villars commanded with far superior strength against the prince of Baden, did fortune seem disposed to be more favorable to France. Not only were the imperialists compelled to abandon the posts they held on the western side of that great river, but also to raise the siege of Fort Louis. They were even forced from the lines they occupied at Buhl, near Stolhoffen, famous both for their natural and artificial strength. But the French general being compelled to send large reinforcements to the duc de Vendome after the battle of Ramillies, the circles of Suabia and Franconia were by this revulsion of his forces relieved from their terrors of pillage and contribution.

Advances In the autumn of the present year advances

made by

France for were made on the part of the king of France, Peace. amazed and confounded at such unheard-of mis

obtaining

fortunes, for obtaining peace. The elector of Bavaria wrote, by his direction, a letter to the duke of Marlborough, proposing conferences to

be held for that purpose, at some spot between BOOK V. the two camps, and, after the separation of the 1706. two armies, at any place between Mons and Brussels; "in which," says his electoral high

ness, you, sir, with whom the interests of England are so safely entrusted, the deputies which the States shall please to nominate, and the persons whom the king of France shall empower, may begin to treat upon so important an affair.” The duke, after transmitting this letter to England, signified in terms of great coldness and haughtiness," that he was commanded by the queen his mistress to declare, the way of conferences proposed by the elector, without more particular declarations on the part of his Most. Christian majesty, does not seem proper for obtaining a truly solid and lasting peace." The States General likewise expressed their concurrence in the same sentiments. Anxious to enter into a negotiation, the king of France next applied to the pope to interpose his good offices, and left it to the arbitration of his holiness to satisfy the rights and demands of the emperorspecifically offering the Milanese, Naples, Sicily, and Sardinia, with a barrier for Holland; all which propositions were refused with disdain. by the court of Vienna, which insisted on nothing less than the dethronement of Philip,

BOOK V. and the renunciation of the whole Spanish mo

1706. narchy.

Scotland.

Parliament.

The domestic affairs of Great Britain still continued in a situation truly critical. On the 3d Affairs of of October 1706, the parliament of Scotland was convened for the last time at Edinburgh, the Session of duke of Queensberry opening the session as high commissioner with unusual state and magnificence. The queen's letter contained the interesting information that the articles of the treaty of union were agreed upon by the commissioners appointed for that purpose, and recommended their adoption in the strongest terms that language could afford, "as the only effectual way to secure their present and future happiness, and to disappoint the designs of her and their enemies, who would doubtless on this occasion use their utmost endeavours to prevent or delay this union, which must so much contribute to her glory and the happiness of her people."

Undoubtedly the accomplishment of this treaty was the final and death blow to the hopes of the court of St. Germaine's: yet still the fond and delusive idea was cherished, that the English ministers entertained amicable intentions respecting the exiled family. Lord Caryl, a nobleman who with very inferior talents had lately superseded the earl of Middleton, now aged and infirm, in