385 1695. Wise Go vernment pel. advanced to the dignity of lord deputy, in which BOOK II. affairs were conducted, through the prudence and moderation of the new governor, with unanimity Wint and dispatch; and many judicious laws enacted of Lord Cafor the settlement of that unhappy and distracted country. At the termination of the session, the commons of Ireland transmitted an address to the king in which they thus express themselves: -" And we must ever acknowledge to your majesty the great benefit we do, and our posterity shall, receive by those inestimable laws given us by your majesty in this session of parliament, held under your majesty's deputy, and our excellent governor, the lord Capel; whereby not only our religion and legal rights are confirmed to us, but this your majesty's kingdom of Ireland is firmly secured to the imperial crown of England." Amongst the laws alluded to, was an act for abolishing the writ de Hæretico Comburendo; an act declaring all attainders and all other acts in the late pretended parliament held by king James null and void; an act for disarming papists; an act to restrain foreign education; and an act for the better settling intestates' estates. BOOK III. Death of the Duc de Luxemburg. Campaign in Flanders, 1695. Namur captured by King William. Campaign on the Rhine, in Italy, Spain, and Hungary. Parliament dissolved. Whig Interest obtains the Ascendency. Treason Bill. Re-coinage of Silver. Extravagant Grant to, the Earl of Portland. Remonstrance against the Scottish Ind a Company. Dangerous Project for the Establishment of a Council of Trade. Assassination Plot. National Association. Execution of Charnock, Friend and Perkins. Great Naval Exertions. Campaign in Flanders, &c. 1696. Defection of the Duke of Savoy. Conquest of Asoph by the Russians. State of Afairs in Scotland—and Ireland. Session of Parliament. Magnanimous Conduct of the Commons. Novel Operations of Finance.. Freedom of the Press in Danger. Fenwick's Bill of Attainder-Arguments for and against it. Negotiations relative to Peace. Congress opened at Ryswick. Campaign in Flanders, 1697. Barcelona taken by the French. Victory over the Turks at Zenta. Death of Sobieski. Treaty of Ryswick signed. Session of Parliament. Vote of the House of Commons for dislanding the Army. Resignation of Lord Sunderland. Affairs of the East India Company. Arbitrary and oppressive Measures embraced respecting Ireland. Theological Disputes. Impolitic Interference of Parliament. Advancement of Lord Albemarle. Earl of Portland's Embassy to Paris. Czar of Muscovy visits England. Affairs of Scotland—and of Ireland. Projects of the King of England. First Treaty of Partition. Reflections upon it. Peace of Carlowitz. Death of HAVING reviewed the state of affairs in the BOOK II. British dominions at this period, it will now 1645. be proper to advert to the military operations car- the duc de rying on upon the continent. Early in the pre- burg. Luxem BOOK III. sent year died Francis de Montmorenci duké of 1695. Luxemburg: who ranks, by universal acknow ledgment, amongst the greatest generals of the age. The king of France publicly declared, that a greater loss could not have befallen him. After some hesitation, the maréchal duc de Villeroi was appointed his successor-M. de Boufflers commanding a separate and secondary army under him. The French hitherto conquerors on all sides, but weakened by their very successes, had to combat a hydra in the growing armies of the allies. It began to be difficult to raise recruits, and still more so to raise money, in France. The rigour of the last winter had produced a scarcity almost approaching to famine in that country: and as a celebrated French historian expresses himself,, "the people were perishing with hunger in the midst of the public thanksgivings and rejoicings*." Louvois, their greatest statesman, and Luxemburg their greatest general, were now no more; and the spirit of national confidence and superiority gradually diminished. The death of the latter in particular under whom the French soldiery thought themselves invincible, seemed in the apprehension of all, to indicate that the long succession of Gallic triumphs was now at an end, and that the glory of Louis XIV. had reached its zenith. * VOLTAIRE, Histoire Generale, vol. v. p. 214. Campaign It being the general expectation that the al- BOOK II, lies would exert themselves with redoubled vigor 1695. this campaign, a new line was drawn for the pro- in Flanders. tection of French Flanders from the Lys to the Scheld, where the storm was supposed most likely to fall and M. Villeroi was restrained to act strictly on the defensive. The king of England having put himself at the head of the allied army, advanced by rapid marches to the French lines, as if with a determination to risk an attack: and, to maintain the deception, an attempt was actually made on Fort Knoque. Perceiving that the feint succeeded, and that all the French forces were drawn within the lines, the king dispatched orders to the earl of Athlone, who commanded a separate army on the side of the Maese, to invest Investment the city of Namur. This service was performed with success, though by reason of the difficulty of the ground, and the vast extent of circumvallation, it was not possible to prevent M. de Boufflers from throwing himself into the place with a strong reinforcement; so that the garrison now amounted to 15,000 men. And great additions, under the directions of M. Vauban, having been made to the fortifications, it was considered by the French as impregnable; they had even the vanity to place over one of the gates of Namur the inscription "Reddi quidem, sed vinci non potest." And this attempt was spoken of as an instance of unparalleled temerity, of Namur, |