himself being, agreeably to his own remark, BOOK VI. 66 1710. Intrigues of Savoy. always on the string, and the enemy necessarily obliged to make the bow." The duke of Savoy was indeed now to all appearance weary of the war, and little disposed to vigorous exertion. He even recurred so far to his old system of du- Political plicity, as to make secret proposals to M. Ber- the Duke of wick of separate accommodation, requiring, as conditions of the peace, indemnity for his losses; the cession of Exilles, Fenestrella, and MONACO; and that Swiss garrisons should be placed in Briançon and Fort Barreaux, by way of security for the performance of the treaty. In lieu of these solid advantages France offered a transfer of all the pretensions of Spain upon the duchy of Milan, and to acknowledge the duke of Savoy as king of Lombardy. But the king of France added, with becoming dignity, that he never would put into the hands of any foreign power the keys of his own kingdom; and as for Monaco, he could neither in honor or conscience dispose of what did not belong to him. The negotiation upon this broke off; and it does not appear that this transaction was ever known, or even suspected, by the courts of London or Vienna*. The most interesting events of the present * Vide Memoirs of the Duke of Berwick, BOOK VI. summer happened in Spain. The reigning mo1710. narch, eager to put a final termination to the hopes and claims of his competitor, advanced at the head of a powerful army into Arragon, in order to bring matters to a decisive issue. General Military Stanhope, notwithstanding, with a force very inin Spain. ferior, attacked and totally routed the Spanish operations cavalry at Almanara, displaying on this occasion all the chivalrous and romantic valor of the heroes of Roncesvalles, and killing with his own hand the Spanish commander Amessaga, who, animated by a similar spirit, had personally and furiously assailed him. Count Staremberg, following the motions of the king, who found it necessary in consequence of this check to retire towards Saragossa, discovered the Spanish army drawn up in order of battle near that place; and an engagement ensuing (August 9, 1710), the enemy were entirely defeated. King Charles entered Saragossa in triumph, while Philip retired with the wreck of his army to Madrid. The good fortune of Charles was however of short duration: proceeding without delay to Madrid in pursuit of his competitor, he had the mortification to find that city entirely deserted by all the Spanish grandees, and to receive the most convincing proofs of the fidelity and attachment of the Castilians to his rival. It was now evident that the archduke could never reign in Spain. After remaining one 1710. night only in the capital, where his person was BOOK VI supposed to be in danger, he removed to Toledo, there purposing to pass the winter but he soon found his quarters untenable, from the hostile disposition of the surrounding country, and Toledo was in a short time disgracefully evacuated. Great efforts being made by Philip to collect another army, and the court of Versailles exerting itself on the intelligence of the late disasters to send large reinforcements into Spain, and which was a circumstance of no small moment in a crisis like the present, with the Duc de Vendome at their head, the Spanish monarch soon appeared again in great force, and once more took possession of his metropolis, amidst loud acclamations. Count Staremberg being wholly unsupported, in the heart of an enemy's country, and apprehending his retreat to Catalonia might be intercepted, thought it expedient to retrace his footsteps: and in the beginning of November his army marched back to Saragossa. Brihuega. General Stanhope with the greater part of the British forces, not entertaining any apprehension of danger, most imprudently entered into canton- Disaster of ments at the town of Brihuega, a place so far distant from Saragossa as to make it impracticable to receive immediate support in case of necessity from general Staremberg. The fatal folly of despising an enemy was in these circumstances BOOK VI. quickly manifested. General Stanhope was ad1710. vised to place a guard upon the neighbouring hills, in order to prevent a surprize. But neglecting this salutary caution, he found himself, on the 27th November, suddenly surrounded by the Spanish army. As the place was not tenable and he had little ammunition, he was obliged after a short but vigorous resistance to capitulate, and surrender himself and all his forces prisoners of war, before count Staremberg, who had marched to his relief, could gain the heights in the vicinity of Brihuega. Battle of Villa Viciosa. The two armies having now approached very near to each other, the Imperialists lay on their arms the whole night of the 28th at Villa Viciosa; and on the morning of the 29th they were attacked by the Spaniards, now much superior in force. The battle was fought with great valor but doubtful success. Staremberg's left wing was utterly defeated, but the right where he commanded in person, not only maintained their ground but compelled the enemy finally to retire from the field, with the loss of 6000 men, to which his own bore so large a proportion that he found it requisite, victor as he styled himself, to abandon Arragon, and retreat to Catalonia; and being closely pursued by the Duc de Vendome, he was at last driven to take shelter under the walls of Barcelona. The important towns of Balaguer and Gironne were also reduced before BOOK VI. the end of the campaign to the obedience of 1710. Philip, who, from the condition of a fugitive, became in three months absolute master of the whole Spanish monarchy, some places in Catalonia only excepted. Thus the flattering successes of the allies at the commencement of this campaign proved wholly delusive, and during the remaining years of the contest Charles was never able to regain even a temporary superiority. The operations of the war on the side of Portugal were too inconsequential to merit a distinct recital. In the beginning of July the marquis de Bay surprised the town of Miranda de Duero, and afterwards formed the blockade of Braganza without effect. The Spanish army retiring within the line of their own frontier on the approach of the allies, the Portuguese made themselves masters of some fortified posts of little consideration. Some time before this the earl of Galway, whose military career had been distinguished by a series of misfortunes, desired and obtained leave to return to England. The enemies of this nobleman, for misfortune will create enemies, finding it impossible to bring his honor or his courage into question, endeavoured, with feeble though malignant efforts, to impeach his judgment and conduct. The folly of continuing the war, and the im |