WILLIAM AND MARY. 1688-1701. by Dr. Hugh Chamberlain, proposing the brought in a bill to impose stamp duties a fund of ready money, to circulate one taxing several joint-stocks, provided, that million at eight per cent. to be lent to the in case of a default in the payment of that government; and even this fund of ready tax, within the time limited by the act, the money bore the same interest. When it charter of the company so failing should be was properly digested in the cabinet, and a deemed void and forfeited. The East India majority in parliament secured for its re- company actually neglected their payment, ception, the undertakers for the court intro- and the public imagined the ministry would duced it into the house of commons, and seize this opportunity of dissolving a moexpatiated upon the national advantages nopoly against which so many complaints that would accrue from such a measure. had been made: but the directors underThey said it would rescue the nation out stood their own strength; and, instead of of the hands of extortioners and usurers, being broken, obtained the promise of a lower interest, raise the value of land, re- new charter. This was no sooner known, vive and establish public credit, extend cir- than the controversy between them and culation, consequently improve commerce, their adversaries was revived with such facilitate the annual supplies, and connect animosity, that the council thought proper the people the more closely with the gov- to indulge both parties with a hearing. As ernment. The project was violently op- this produced no resolution, the merchants posed by a strong party, who affirmed that who opposed the company petitioned, that, it would become a monopoly, and engross in the meanwhile, the new charter might the whole money of the kingdom: that, as be suspended. Addresses of the same kind it must infallibly be subservient to govern- were presented by a great number of clothment views, it might be employed to the iers, linen-drapers, and other dealers. To worst purposes of arbitrary power: that, these a written answer was published by instead of assisting, it would weaken com- the company: the merchants printed a remerce, by tempting people to withdraw ply, in which they undertook to prove, that their money from trade, and employ it in the company had been guilty of unjust and stock-jobbing: that it would produce a unwarrantable actions, tending to the scanswarm of brokers and jobbers to prey upon dal of religion, the dishonor of the nation, their fellow-creatures, encourage fraud and the reproach of our laws, the oppression of gaming, and further corrupt the morals of the people, and the ruin of trade. They the nation. Notwithstanding these objec- observed, that two private ships had exporttions, the bill made its way through the two ed in one year three times as many cloths houses, establishing the funds for the secu- as the company had exported in three years. rity and advantage of the subscribers; em- They offered to send more cloth and Engpowering their majesties to incorporate lish merchandise to the Indies in one year, them by the name of the governor and com- than the company had exported in five; to pany of the bank of England, under a pro- furnish the government with five hundred viso, that at any time after the first day of tons of saltpetre for less than one half of August, in the year one thousand seven the usual price; and they represented, that hundred and five, upon a year's notice, and the company could neither load the ships the repayment of the twelve hundred they petitioned for in England, nor reload thousand pounds, the said corporation should them in the East Indies. In spite of all cease and determine. The bill likewise these remonstrances, the new charter passcontained clauses of appropriation for the ed the great seal; though the grants conservices of the public. The whole sub-tained in it were limited in such a manner, scription was filled in ten days after its be- that they did not amount to an exclusive ing opened; and the court of directors privilege, and subjected the company to completed the payment before the expira- such alterations, restrictions, and qualification of the time prescribed by the act, al- tions, as the king should direct before the though they did not call in more than seven twenty-ninth day of September. This inhundred and twenty thousand pounds of the dulgence, and other favors granted to the money subscribed. All these funds proving company, were privately purchased of the inadequate to the estimates, the commons ministry, and became productive of a loud outcry against the government. The mer-members. Sir John Knight, a member of chants published a journal of the whole the house, in a speech upon this subject, extransaction, and petitioned the house of aggerated the bad consequences that would commons that their liberty of trading to the attend such a bill, with all the wit and virEast Indies might be confirmed by parlia- ulence of satire: it was printed and disment. Another petition was presented by persed through the kingdom, and raised the company, praying that their charter such a flame among the people, as had not might receive a parliamentary sanction. appeared since the revolution. They exBoth parties employed all their address in claimed, that all offices would be conferred making private applications to the members. upon Dutchmen, who would become lordThe house having examined the different danes, and prescribe the modes of religion. charters, the book of their new subscrip- and government; and they extolled Sir tions, and every particular relating to the John Knight, as the savior of the nation (4). company, resolved that all the subjects of The courtiers, incensed at the progress of England had an equal right to trade to the this clamor, complained in the house of the East Indies, unless prohibited by act of speech which had been printed; and Sir parliament. John was threatened with expulsion and GENERAL NATURALIZATION BILL. imprisonment. He, therefore, thought propBUT nothing engrossed the attention of er to disown the paper, which was burned the public more than a bill which was by the hands of the common hangman. brought into the house for a general natu- This sacrifice served only to increase the ralization of all foreign Protestants. The popular disturbance, which rose to such a advocates for this measure alleged, That height of violence, that the court-party begreat part of the lands of England lay un- gan to tremble; and the bill was dropped cultivated that the strength of a nation for the present. consisted in the number of inhabitants: Lord Coningsby and Mr. Porter had comthat the people were thinned by the war mitted the most flagrant acts of oppression and foreign voyages, and required an ex- in Ireland. These had been explained, traordinary supply: that a great number during the last session, by the gentlemen of Protestants, persecuted in France and who appealed against the administration of other countries, would gladly remove to a lord Sidney: but they were screened by land of freedom, and bring along with them the ministry; and, therefore, the earl of their wealth and manufactures: that the Bellamont now impeached them in the community had been largely repaid for the house of commons, of which he and they protection granted to those refugees who had were members. After an examination of already settled in the kingdom. They had the articles exhibited against them, the introduced several new branches of manu- commons, who were by this time at the defacture, promoted industry, and lowered the votion of the court, declared, that, considerprice of labor; a circumstance of the ut- ing the state of affairs in Ireland, they did most importance to trade, oppressed as it not think them fit grounds for an impeachwas with taxes, and exposed to uncommon ment.-In the course of this session, the hazard from the enemy. The opponents nation sustained another misfortune in the of the bill urged with great vehemence, fate of Sir Francis Wheeler, who had been That it would cheapen the birth-right of appointed commander in chief of the MediEnglishmen that the want of culture was terranean squadron. He received instrucowing to the oppression of the times: that tions to take under his convoy the merchant foreigners being admitted into the privi- ships bound to Turkey, Spain, and Italy; leges of the British trade, would grow to cruise thirty days in a certain latiwealthy at the expense of their benefactors, tude, for the protection of the Spanish plateand transfer the fortunes they had gained fleet, homeward bound; to leave part of into their native country: that the reduc- his squadron at Cadiz, as convoy to the tion in the price of labor would be a na- trade for England; to proceed with the tional grievance, while many thousands of rest to the Mediterranean; to join the English manufacturers were starving for Spanish fleet in his return; and to act in want of employment, and the price of pro- concert with them, until he should be joined visions continued so high, than even those by the fleet from Turkey and the Straits, who were employed could scarce supply and accompany them back to England. their families with bread: that the real de- About the latter end of October he set sail sign of the bill was to make such an acces- from Saint Helen's, and in January arrived sion to the dissenters as would render them at Cadiz with the ships under his convoy. an equal match in the body-politic for those There leaving rear-admiral Hopson, he proof the church of England; to create a ceeded for the Mediterranean. In the bay greater dependence on the crown, and, in a of Gibraltar he was overtaken by a dreadful word, to supply a foreign head with foreign tempest under a lee-shore, which he could not possibly weather, and where the ground commanded this squadron, parted with the was so foul that no anchor would hold. grand fleet, and on the seventh anchored This expedient, however, was tried. A between the bays of Camaret and Bertaume. great number of ships were driven ashore, Next day the marquis of Caermarthen, afand many perished. The admiral's ship terwards duke of Leeds, who served under foundered at sea, and he and all his crew Berkeley, as rear-admiral of the blue, enwere buried in the deep, except two Moors tered Camaret-bay with two large ships who were miraculously preserved. Two and six frigates, to cover the troops in landother ships of the line, three ketches, and ing. The French had received intelligence six merchant ships were lost. The re- of the design, and taken such precautions, mains of the fleet were so much shattered, under the conduct of the celebrated engithat, instead of prosecuting their voyage, neer, Vauban, that the English were exthey returned to Cadiz, in order to be refit-posed to a terrible fire from new-erected ted, and sheltered from the attempts of the batteries, as well as from a strong body of French squadrons, which were still at sea, troops, and though the ships cannonaded under the command of Chateau-Renaud them with great vigor, the soldiers could and Gabaret. On the twenty-fifth day of not maintain any regularity in landing. A April, the king closed the session with a good number were killed in the open boats speech in the usual style, and the parliament was prorogued to the eighteenth day of September. [See note K, at the end of this Vol.] THE ENGLISH ATTEMPT TO MAKE A before they reached the shore; and those who landed were soon repulsed, in spite of all the endeavors of general Ptolemache, who received a wound in the thigh, which proved mortal. Seven hundred soldiers DESCENT IN CAMARET-BAY. are said to have been lost on this occasion, LOUIS of France being tired of the war, besides those who were killed on board of which had impoverished his country, con- the ships. The Monk ship of war was tinued to tamper with the duke of Savoy, towed off with great difficulty; but a Dutch and by the canal of the pope, made some frigate of thirty guns fell into the hands of offers to the king of Spain, which were re- the enemy. jected. Meanwhile he resolved to stand After this unfortunate attempt, lord upon the defensive during the ensuing cam- Berkeley, with the advice of a council of paign, in every part but Catalonia, where war, sailed back for England, and at St. his whole naval force might co-operate with Helen's received orders from the queen to the count de Noailles, who commanded the call a council, and deliberate in what manland-army. King William having received ner the ships and forces might be best emintelligence of the design upon Barcelona, ployed. They agreed to make some atendeavored to prevent the junction of the tempt upon the coast of Normandy. With Brest and Toulon squadrons, by sending this view they set sail on the fifth day of Russel to sea as early as the fleet could be July. They bombarded Dieppe, and rein a condition to sail: but before he arrived duced the greatest part of the town to ashes. at Portsmouth, the Brest squadron had Thence they steered to Havre-de-Grace, quitted that harbor. On the third day of which met with the same fate. They haMay, the admiral sailed from St. Helen's rassed the French troops, who marched afwith the combined squadrons of England ter them along-shore. They alarmed the and Holland, amounting to ninety ships of whole coast, and filled every town with the line, besides frigates, fire-ships, and ten- such consternation, that they would have ders. He detached captain Pritchard of been abandoned by the inhabitants, had not the Monmouth with two fire-ships, to de- they been detained by military force. On stroy a fleet of French merchant ships near the twenty-sixth of July, lord Berkeley reConquet-bay; and this service being per- turned to St. Helen's, where he quitted the formed, he returned to St. Helen's, where fleet, and the command devolved upon Sir he had left Sir Cloudesley Shovel with a Cloudesley Shovel. This officer having squadron, to take on board a body of land- received instructions to make an attempt forces, intended for a descent upon the upon Dunkirk, sailed round the Downs, coast of France. These being embarked, where he was joined by M. Meesters, with under the command of general Ptolemache, six and twenty Dutch pilots. On the the whole fleet sailed again on the twenty-twelfth of September he appeared before ninth of May. The land and sea-officers, Dunkirk; and next day sent in the Charles in a council of war, agreed that part of the galley, with two bomb-ketches, and as many fleet designed for this expedition should of the machines called infernals. These separate from the rest, and proceed to Cam- were set on fire without effect; and the dearet-bay, where the forces should be landed. sign miscarried: then Shovel steered to On the fifth day of June, lord Berkeley, who Calais, which having bombarded with little VOL. III 9 success, he returned to the coast of Eng- made a motion to Sombref. This was ne land; and the bomb-ketches and machines sooner known to the enemy, than they dewere sent into the river Thames. ADMIRAL RUSSEL RELIEVES BARCE passage. LONA. camped: and having marched all night, posted themselves between Temploux and Masy, within a league and a half of the DURING these transactions, admiral Rus- confederates. The king of England resolvsel, with the grand fleet, sailed for the ed to pass the Scheld; and with this view Mediterranean; and being joined by rear- marched, by the way of Nivelle and Soigadmiral Neville from Cadiz, together with nies, to Chievres; from thence he detached Callembergh and Evertzen, he steered to- the duke of Wirtemberg, with a strong body wards Barcelona, which was besieged by of horse and foot, to pass the river at Outhe French fleet and army. At his ap- denarde, while the elector of Bavaria adproach, Tourville retired with precipitation vanced with another detachment to pass it into the harbor of Toulon; and Noailles at Pont de Espieres. Notwithstanding all abandoned his enterprise. The Spanish af- the expedition they could make, their purfairs were in such a deplorable condition, pose was anticipated by Luxembourg, who, that without this timely assistance the king- being apprized of their route, had detached dom must have been undone. While he four thousand horse, with each a foot-solcontinued in the Mediterranean, the French dier behind the trooper, to reinforce M. de admiral durst not venture to appear at sea; Valette, who commanded that part of the and all his projects were disconcerted. Af- French line. These were sustained by a ter having asserted the honor of the British choice body of men, who travelled with flag in those seas during the whole sum- great expedition, without observing the mer, he sailed in the beginning of Novem- formalities of a march. Mareschal de Villeber to Cadiz, where, by an express order roy followed the same route, with all the of the king, he passed the winter, during cavalry of the right wing, the household which, he took such precautions for pre- troops, and twenty field-pieces: and the rest venting Tourville from passing the Straits, of the army was brought up by the dauphin that he did not think proper to risk the in person. They marched with such incredible diligence, that the elector of Bavaria CAMPAIGN IN FLANDERS. could scarce believe his own eyes, when he Ir will now be necessary to describe the arrived in sight of the Scheld, and saw operations on the continent. In the middle them intrenching themselves on the other of May king William arrived in Holland, side of the river. King William having rewhere he consulted with the States-gen- connoitred their disposition, thought it imeral. On the third day of June he repaired practicable to pass at that place; and thereto Bethlem-abbey near Louvain, the place fore marched down the river to Oudenarde, appointed for the rendezvous of the army; where a passage had been already effected and there he was met by the electors of by the duke of Wirtemberg. Here the conBavaria and Cologn. In a few days a nu- federates passed the Scheld on the twentymerous army was assembled; and every- seventh day of the month; and the king thing seemed to promise an active cam- fixed his head-quarters at Wanneghem. His paign. On the third day of June the dau- intention was to have taken possession of phin assumed the command of the French Courtray, and established winter-quarters forces, with which Luxembourg had taken for a considerable part of his army in that post between Mons and Maubeuge; and district: but Luxembourg having posted passing the Sambre, encamped at Fleurus: himself between that place and Menin, exbut on the eighteenth, he removed from tended his lines in such a manner, that the thence, and took up his quarters between confederates could not attempt to force St. Tron and Wanheim: while the confed- them, nor even hinder him from subsisting erates lay at Roosbeck. On the eleventh his army at the expense of the Castellany of July, the dauphin marched in four col- of Courtray, during the remainder of the umns to Oerle upon the Jaar, where he campaign. This surprising march was of pitched his camp. On the twenty-second, such importance to the French king, that the confederates marched to Bomale: then he wrote with his own hand a letter of the dauphin took the route to Vignamont, thanks to his army; and ordered that it where he secured his army by intrench- should be read to every particular squadron ments, as his forces were inferior in num- and battalion. ber to those of the allies; and as he had THE ALLIES REDUCE HUY. been directed by his father to avoid an en- THE king of England, though disappointgagement. In this situation both armies ed in his scheme upon Courtray, found remained till the fifteenth day of August, means to make some advantage of his suwhen king William sent the heavy bag- periority in number. He drafted troops from gage to Louvain; and on the eighteenth the garrison of Liege and Maestricht; and WILLIAM AND MARY. 1688-1701. on the third day of September reinforced ters of the enemy; and the French general his body with a large detachment from his being apprized of his design, retreated at own camp, conferring the command upon midnight with the utmost precipitation. the duke of Holstein-Ploen, with orders to Having posted himself at Ruth, he sent his undertake the siege of Huy. Next day the heavy baggage to Philipsburgh: then he whole confederate forces passed the Lis, moved to Gonsbergh, in the neighborhood and encamped at Wouterghem. From of Manheim, repassed the Rhine, and enthence the king, with part of the army, camped between Spires and Worms. The marched to Roselaer; this diversion obliged prince of Baden being joined by the allies, the dauphin to make considerable detach- passed the river by a bridge of boats near ments, for the security of Ypres and Menin Hagenbach, in the middle of September; on one side, and to cover Furnes and Dun- and laid the country of Alsace under conkirk on the other. At this juncture, a tribution. Considering the advanced season Frenchman being seized in the very act of of the year, this was a rash undertaking; setting fire to one of the ammunition wag- and the French general resolved to profit ons in the allied army, confessed he had by his enemy's temerity. He forthwith adbeen employed for this purpose by some of vanced against the imperialists, foreseeing the French generals, and suffered death as that should they be worsted in battle, their a traitor. On the sixteenth day of the whole army would be ruined. Prince Loumonth, the duke of Holstein-Ploen invested is, informed of his intention, immediately Huy, and carried on the siege with such passed the Rhine; and this retreat was no vigor, that in ten days the garrison capitu- sooner effected, than the river swelled to lated. The king ordered Dixmuyde, Deynse, such a degree, that the island in the middle, Ninove, and Tirlemont, to be secured for and great part of the camp he had occuwinter-quarters to part of the army: the pied, was overflowed. Soon after this incidauphin returned to Versailles: William dent both armies retired into winter-quarquitted the camp on the last day of Sep-ters. The campaign in Hungary produced tember; and both armies broke up about no event of importance. It was opened by the new vizier, who arrived at Belgrade in the middle of October. The operations on the Rhine were pre- the middle of August; and about the same concerted between king William and the time Caprara assembled the imperial army prince of Baden, who had visited London in in the neighborhood of Peterwaradin. The the winter. The dispute between the em- Turks passed the Saave, in order to attack peror and the elector of Saxony was com- their camp, and carried on their approaches promised; and this young prince dying du- with five hundred pieces of cannon; but ring the negotiation, the treaty was per-made very little progress. The imperialists fected by his brother and successor, who received reinforcements; the season wasted engaged to furnish twelve thousand men away; a feud arose between the vizier and yearly, in consideration of a subsidy from the cham of the Tartars; and the Danube the court of Vienna. In the beginning of being swelled by heavy rains, so as to interJune, mareschal de Lorges passed the Rhine rupt the operations of the Turks, their genat Philipsburgh, in order to give battle to eral decamped in the night of the first of the imperialists, encamped at Hailbron. October. They afterwards made an unsucThe prince of Baden, who was not yet cessful attempt upon Titul, while the imjoined by the Saxons, Hessians, nor by the perial general made himself master of troops of Munster and Paderborn, dispatch- Giula. In the course of this summer, the ed couriers to quicken the march of these Venetians, who were also at war with the auxiliaries, and advanced to Eppingen, Turks, reduced Cyclut, a place of imporwhere he proposed to wait till they should tance on the river Naranta, and made a come up; but, on the fifteenth, receiving conquest of the island of Scio in the Arundoubted intelligence, that the enemy chipelago. PROGRESS OF THE FRENCH. Iwere in motion towards him, he advanced WE have already observed, that the to meet them in order of battle. De Lorges concluded that this was a desperate effort, French king had determined to act vigorand immediately halted to make the neces-ously in Catalonia. In the beginning of sary preparations for an engagement. This May, the duke de Noailles advanced at the pause enabled prince Louis to take posses- head of eight and twenty thousand men to sion of a strong pass near Sintzheim, from the river Ter, on the opposite bank of which he could not easily be dislodged. which the viceroy of Catalonia was enThen the mareschal proceeded to Viseloch, camped with sixteen thousand Spaniards. and ravaged the adjacent country, in hopes The French general passed the river in of drawing the imperialists from their in- the face of this army, and attacked their intrenchments. The prince being joined by trenchments with such impetuosity, that in the Hessians, resolved to beat up the quar-less than an hour they were totally defeat |