1093.

BOOK II. out firing a shot-at that time a very unusual mode of fighting. The confederate troops defended themselves with equal spirit; till, the left wing at length giving way, the infantry in centre were attacked in rear and flank by the enemy's horse. Here the battle raged more desperately than ever; and the British troops had an opportunity particularly to signalize themselves. After the third attack the count de Las Torres condescended to solicit the duke of Schomberg to take upon him the command, and secure the retreat of the centre and right wing: but that able officer, instead of a magnanimous compliance, coldly replied, "that it was necessary first to have his royal highness's order; in the mean time they had no option but to conquer or die." After exhibiting prodigies of valour, the duke received a mortal wound; and the confederates were finally compelled to abandon the field of battle, covered with heaps of slain, to the enemy, with almost all their artillery, and above 100 standards. But the French army was so weakened by this victory as to be incapable of attempting any farther offensive operation.

The war in Hungary was still carried on to the disadvantage of the Turks, who this year lost the fortresses of Jeno and Villaguswar. But the imperialists, under the duc de Croy, were repulsed in an attempt on the city of Belgrade.

After the prodigious loss sustained by the

Fleet cap

French at the battle of La Hogue the preceding BOOK IL year, their naval exertions during the present 1693. summer were truly astonishing. So early as the Smyrna month of May, while the British ships were still tured. in harbour, the different squadrons, having joined, formed a grand fleet of no less than seventy-one men of war of the line. In the beginning of June the English and Dutch ships sailed down the channel. On the 6th sir George Rooke was detached to the straits with a squadron of twentythree ships, as convoy to the Mediterranean and Smyrna trade the whole fleet accompanying him fifty leagues to the south-westward of Ushant, for greater security to the merchant ships, amounting to near four hundred in number. Unsuspicious of danger, Rooke proceeded on his voyage; and on the 17th descried to his astonishment the whole French fleet cruising about sixty leagues off Cape St. Vincent. In this emergency there was no alternative than to make signal for the merchantmen to shift for themselves-the convoy maintaining as well as they were able a running fight for their protection. In the result, two men of war, one English and one Dutch, were burnt, and two Dutch ships after a desperate resistance taken by the enemy, who also captured about forty of the merchantmen, several of them Smyrna ships richly laden, and destroyed about fifty more The greater part saved themselves in Faro, St. Lucar or Cadiz. Sir George Rooke bore away

BOOK II. for the Madeiras, whence he arrived at Cork in 1693. August. The French admiral, M. de Tourville,

after insulting the coasts of Spain, and burning several English and Dutch vessels at Malaga Alicant, and other places, returned in triumph to Toulon. The greatest clamors were not without some appearances of reason excited in England by this misfortune. The whigs and anti-courtiers renewed their attacks on the earl of Nottingham, through whose criminal negligence, if not more criminal treachery, it was affirmed this unparalleled calamity had happened. The admirals Killigrew and Delaval, both strongly attached to the tory, not to say the Jacobite, party, also fell, and with far more reason, under great and grievous suspicion. No attempt was made to retrieve the honor of the British flag, except by an attack on St. Maloes, a noted rendezvous of privateers, by a squadron under commodore Benbow, who cannonaded and bombarded the town, to the great consternation of the inhabitants, for three days successively.

Still more dreadful than the calamities occasioned by the conflict now raging in Europe were those caused by the war of nature and the commotion of the elements. At the commencement of the year, Malta and Sicily were visited by a succession of earthquakes; particularly on the 9th January (1693), when they were alarmed with a tremendous nocturnal shock, which they hoped

Earth

foun- quake at

Malta and

But Sicily.

would have been the last. But this only proved BOOK II a prelude to another, and far worse, which took 1693. place on the 11th, at three in the afternoon; and Dreadful which in Malta shook every building to its dation, ruined some, and damaged many. its chief violence was reserved for Sicily, where the effects produced were so terrific as to excite the idea, and almost the apprehension, that the globe itself was about to dissolve, and return to its primæval atoms. Etna seemed to be heaved from its basis. The air, obscured by sudden darkness, was præternaturally illuminated by an unintermitted blaze of lightnings, accompanied by the rolling of perpetual thunders. The crash of falling edifices in every direction, the frightful chasms disclosing themselves to view, the mountainous billows rushing with impetuous fury from the sea, and threatening to overwhelm the earth, completed the horror of the scene. Between thirty and forty towns and cities, with a vast extent of country, were involved in this amazing calamity; and of these the far greater part were wholly swallowed up. More than 70,000 persons are said to have perished; and 18,000 in Catanea alone, which sunk down at once with as much noise as if the fabric of the earth had rent asunder.

Scotland.

In the spring of the present year 1693, a session Affairs of of parliament was held in Scotland, of which it is necessary to give some account, as well as of the general state of affairs in that kingdom for some

BOOK п. years back. The system of government which

it was the part of wisdom to adopt consequent to the revolution in Scotland, it was difficult to define, and yet more difficult to execute. The majority of the convention and of the nation at large being presbyterians, who were strongly attached to the new government, as the espicopalians on the other hand for the most part were to the old, it was a matter of necessity rather than choice in the king to confide the administration of affairs to that party. The earl of Melville was raised to the office of secretary of state; a nobleman of honest intentions, but of very slender capacity; firm to presbytery, accounted somewhat avaricious, but not a man of violence or malignity. He was personally known to the king, having taken refuge in Holland from the persecutions of the late reigns, and had the merit of advising and adventuring in the memorable expedition to England. But the king was thought chiefly to rely on the councils of Dalrymple viscount Stair, constituted president of the college of justice (father to Dalrymple the commissioner), a man of great craft, who had formerly been an instrument of oppression in the hands of Lauderdale, but who now strove to recommend himself to favor by his zeal in support of the new establishment.

By the promotion of Melville great and indeed mortal offence was given to sir James Montgo