A. C. treat without any great lofs, except that of their 1694. Baggage, the French not thinking it fafe to purfue them, becaufe of the narrownefs of the Ways. However the Marefchal de Noailles improv'd this Advantage, by laying Siege to Palamos, a Town Palamos by the Sea fide, about Twenty two Leagues from Befieged. Barcelona, to the South-East. On the 30th of May the Place was invefted; on the 2d of June the Trenches were open'd, and on the 7th all things in a readiness to form the Cover'd way. This the French Grenadiers perform'd with great Vigor and Fury, and without lofing time in making Lodgements, enter'd the Town at two narrow Breaches, And taken Plunder'd it, and put all they met to the Sword. Of thofe that were fav'd, all were made Prifoners of June 7. War; only fome of the Officers, that were moft Wounded, were fent to Gironne upon their Paroles: Not only, faid the French General in his Letter to the King his Master, because they feem'd to defire it, but because he confider'd the Terror that it would strike among the Soldiers and People. Monfieur de Noailles judg'd right of the matter; for the Spaniards immediately withdrew their Garrifon out of St. Felix Quinola, and the Caftle of St. Elme: And though they pretended to make a ftout Refistance at GironGironne ne, a well fortified Town, which the French had taken, befieged by the 19th of June, yet they furrendred June 29. it on the 29th of the fame Month, upon very ignominious Terms. From Gironne the French advanc'd Oftalrick to Ostalrick a little Town upon the Road to Barcelona, which they quickly carried, without any great Refiftance; and thereby enlarg'd their Territories Twenty Miles in extent. But the Army, because of the excellive Heats, beginning now to be fickly, Marefchal de Noailles put them into Quarters of Refreshment, upon the fertile Banks of the River Terdera, were they liv'd as undifturb'd from the Spaniards, as if they had been in the middle of Caftle- France. After they had fufficiently refresh'd themFoletta felves, thev form'd a Defign upon Castle Folet, a Town a little to the West of Gironne, which they took, having routed a Body of Country Militia taken. ken. that that came to relieve it, and made the Garrifon Pri- A. C. foners of War. Whilst the French were bufie on this fide, the Spaniards thought to improve this opportunity by retaking Oftalrick, which they actually befieg'd; and had carried their point fo far, that the Governor was upon Articles of Surrender, and Hoftages were already exchang'd; but the Spaniards infifting that the Miquelets fhould be made Prifoners of War, the Governor in the mean time, had notice that Monfieur de Noailles was marching to his Relief; whereupon he redemanded his Hoftages. and refus'd to ftand to the Articles, fo that the Siege was immediately rais'd. 1694. Flesh'd with these profperous Succeffes the French The Engthreaten'd no lefs than the befieging of Barcelona, lifh Fleet the Capital City of Catalonia, and the only forti iu the fied Town of that Province in the Hands of the Mediter Spaniards But King William interpos'd with his ranean. Fleet, which by this time was arriv'd in the Streights under the Command of Admiral Ruffel. This great Man, juftly proud of the Victory he obtain'd two Years before, in his Mafter and the English Nation's Name, challeng'd now the Dominion of the Mediterranean, as he had lately afferted that of the Narrow Seas; and as he reviv'd the drooping Spirits of the Spaniards, fo he damp'd the towring Projects of the French. The latter were now fenfible of their Error in fending their Grand Fleet into thofe Seas, where they must be cooped up in the Harbour of Thoulon, and be forc'd to The French leave all their Coafts, both on the Ocean and the Fleet con Mediterranean; expos'd to the Infults of the Confe-fi'd to derates. And tho' Marefchal de Tourville once ad-Thoulon ventur'd out to Sea, with a Defign to flip by the English Admiral, yet he quickly found the other had fo watchful an Eye upon him, that he was forc'd to return to his Port again. Nothing is more remarkable in the whole Courfe of King William's Reign, than his Fleet riding triumphantly and un、 controull'd in the Mediterranean; for thereby not only a stop was put to the conquering Arms of France in Catalonia; but all the Italian Princes were kept A. C. kept in aw; and the Venetians began now to think 1694 of fending a folemn Embafly into England, to court his Majelties Friendship. mont. Campaign Little was done in Piedmont this Summer: For in Pied- tho' the Duke of Savoy did openly reject the Propofals made to him from France after his Defeat at Marfaglia, yet a fecret Negotiation was carried on, which rendered him fupinely unactive, and the French careless on that fide; and when it was expected on all Hands, that the Confederate Army would form the Siege of Cafal; (the Succefs of which Enterprize was as little doubted of) they contented themselves with the taking the Fort of St. George, whereby that Place was more clofely block'd up. Neither is it worth the while to mention either the fmall Succeffes of the Vaudois in the Valley of Pragelas, their routing of fome Irish Detachments fent against them in the Valley of St. Martin; or their faint Irruption into Dauphiné, as far as Briancon. ny. The Imperialifts, headed by Prince Lewis of BaCampaign in Germa- den, laying encamp'd near Hailbron, Marefchal de Lorge, with the French Army under his Command, adventur'd to pafs the Rhine, and to march towards them in order of Battle. The Prince believing the Enemy had a mind to fight, went on to meet them: But the French finding him fo refolute, retreated towards Wifelock, paffed the Neckar, burnt the Town of Lawdenburg, and ruin'd the flat Country. This fo incenfed the Prince of Baden, that tho' he were not yet reinforc'd by the Saxons, yet he advanc'd to Wifelock, an advantagious Poft, of which he poffeffed himself after a fharp Rencounter with the Enemy, wherein the latter loft Three Hundred Men, and the Germans about half that Number. Thereupon Monfieur de Lorge repaffed the Rhine, and for fome time the two Armies did only observe one another. At length the Prince of Baden, impatient of Action, croft the Rhine in his turn; of which the French General was no fooner informed, but he marched towards Landau. On the other hand, the Prince advanc'd and made himself Mater of feveral fmall Places, and of all the Paffes as far far as Croon Weiffemburg; and 'twas confidently ex- A. C. pected, that now the Germans would either force 1694. the French to a Battle, or fecure Winter Quarters on that fide the Rhine: But neither of these happen'd. For in few Days the Imperialists repaffed the Rhine, bringing away with them 14000 Head of Cattle, and having destroy'd a vast quantity of Forrage in the Country, and fome Magazines of the French. Which put an end to the Campaign in Germany. Let us now attend King William. His Majesty The King having spent fome Months on his ufual Diver-lands in fions at Loo, and then fettled the publick foreign Af- England, fairs at the Hague, embarked the 8th of November, The Par landed in England the 9th, and on the 12th the Parliament liament being met, according to their laft Proro- meets. gation, his Majefty told them, That he was glad Nov. 12. to meet them, when he could fay their Affairs The King's were in a better Pofture, both by Sea and Land, Specch than when they parted laft. That the Enemy had not been in a Condition to oppofe the Confe'derate Fleet in thefe Seas, that the fending fo great a Force into the Mediteranean, had difappointed their Designs, and left the Nation a Profpect of 'further Succefs. And that with refpect to the 'War by Land, he thought he might fay, that this Year a top had been put to the Progress of the French Arms. ་ Then Addrefling himfelf to the House of Commons, Of whofe good Affection to him, and of 'whofe Zeal for the Publick, he faid, he had fo much Experience, that he could not doubt of 'their Afiftance at this time; he earnestly recom'mended to them, first to provide fuch Supplies as might enable him to profecute the War with Vigour; which was the only means to procure Peace to Christendom with the Safety and Honour of England; Secondly, To continue the Act of Tunnage and Poundage, which expir'd ar Christmas,and which was the more neceffary at this time, in regard the feveral Branches of the Re. venue were under great Anticipations; And lastly, the Debt for the Tranfport Ships, imploy'd in the reducing to both Houfes. A. C. 1694. Bill for the frequent meeting of Parlia 'reducing of Ireland, which was a Cafe of Com'paffion and deferv'd Relief. He clos'd his Speech by telling both Houles, "That he should be glad they would take into their • Confideration the preparing fome good Bill for the Encouragement of English Seamen; which Law, 'they were fenfible, would tend to the Advance'ment of Trade, and of the Naval ftrength of the "Kingdom, which was their common great Interest, and ought to be their Principal Care. The ufual Preliminaries being fettled, the Commons adjourn'd to the 19th of that Month; when the first thing they did, was to order the able and judicious Mr. Harley to prepare and bring in a Bill ments. for the frequent Meeting and Calling of Parliaments, which they had been fo earneft upon in the former Seilions, and which they were refolv'd to ftickle for in this. The Bill was prefented accor*Nov. 22. Dec. 13. dingly, and in few Days † read the third time, Dec. 18. paft, and fent up to the Lords; who gave their Concurrence without any Amendments. Nov. 30. 2382712 Pounds * it The Commons having unanimoufly † voted a Supply. † Nov. 21. Supply to their Majefties, and examin d the Efti mate for the next Years Service for the War; the Account of the Moneys paid to the Fleet, to the Army, to the Allies, and for Forage; and the Quota's that the Confederates were feverally to furnish, *Refolv'd, That the Sum of Two Millions three Hundred eighty two Thoufand feven Hundred and twelve Pounds be granted for the Maintenance of granted for the Navy; and † that of Two Millions five hunthe Fleet. dred Thoufand Pounds, for the Support of the Land Forces, for the Service of the Year 1695. To raise thofe vaft Sums it was refolv'd, First, Pounds for That an Aid of Four Shillings in the Pound be the Land granted to their Majefties, to be laid and levied in the fame manner as formerly; and Secondly, That VVays and the Subfidies of Tunnage and Poundage be continued for the Term of Five Years longer, beginning on the 26th of that Month of December. Four Days before the King went to the Houfe of Lords, and gave his Royal Affent to the Bill that had + Dec. 14. been brought in and paft, according to this Second And 2500000 Forces. + Dec. 4. Means. • Dec. 13. Refolution |