THAT thefe conditions, especially on the part of LETTER Great Britain, were very inadequate to the fuccefs But and expence of the war, will be denied by no intelli- A. D. 1713. gent man, whofe underftanding is not warped by political prejudices; and the commercial treaty, which was concluded at the fame time, between France and England, was evidently, as I fhall afterward have occafion to fhew, to the difadvantage of the latter kingdom. The other confederates had more caufe to be fatisfied, and the emperor Charles VI. as much as any of them: yet was he obftinate in refusing to fign the general pacification, though two months were allowed him to deliberate on the terms. he had foon reafon to repent his rafhnefs in refolving to continue the war alone: for although he had prudently concluded a treaty with the Hungarian malcontents, in confequence of which twenty-two regiments of his rebel-fubjects entered into his fervice, the imperial army on the Rhine, commanded by prince Eugene, was never in a condition to face the French under Villars, who took fucceffively Worms, Spire, Keiferlauter, and the important fortrefs of Landau. He forced the paffage of the Rhine; attacked and defeated general Vaubonne in his entrenchments, and reduced Friburg, the capital of Brifgaw, before the clofe of the campaign 61. UNWILLING to profecute a difaftrous war, the emperor began feriously to think of peace; and conferences, which afterward terminated in a pacific trea'y, Rapin, &c. The Afsiento, which led to a lucrative contraband trade to the Spanish Main, proved the most advantageous article in favour of Great Britain. It was, however, no facrifice on the part of Spain, the fame privilege having been formerly enjoyed by France. 61. Voltaire, Siecle, chap. xxii. State of Europe, 1713. VOL. IV. G g were PART II. A. D. 1714. were opened, between prince Eugene and marefchal Villars, at Raftadt. The terms of this treaty, which was concluded on the 6th of March, 1714, were lefs favourable to the emperor than thofe offered at Utrecht. The king of France retained Landau, which he had formerly propofed to cede, together with feveral fortreffes beyond the Rhine, which he had agreed to demolish. He got the electors of Bavaria and Cologne fully re-established in their dominions and dignities; the elector of Bavaria confenting to relinquish the island of Sardinia to the emperor, in return for the Upper Palatinate, and the king of France to acknowledge, in form, the electoral dignity of the duke of Hanover (2. The principal articles, in regard to Italy and the Low Countries, were the fame with thofe fettled at Utrecht. ABOUT the time that the treaty of Rafladt was concluded, the king of Spain acceded to the general pacification; being perfuaded by his grandfather, Lewis XIV. to forego his abfurd demand in favour of the princefs Orfini. But Philip V. although now freed from all apprehenfions on the part of the confederates, was by no means in quiet poffeffion of his kingdom. The Catalans were fill in arms, and the inhabitants of Barcelona had come to a refolution of defending themfelves to the last extremity; not, however, as has been reprefented by fome hiftorians, from any romantic idea of establishing an independent republic, but with a view of preferving their lives and their civil rights, all who had revolted being threatened with the juftice of the fword. Had the court of Madrid ufed a more moderate language, Barcelona would have capitulated immediately after the departure of the Imperialists. 61. Printed Treaty in the Monthly Mercury, c. But XXIII But as nothing was talked of by the Spanish minifters LETTER and generals but fevere retribution, the people became furious and defperate 3. VAST preparations were made for the reduction of this important place. And the duke of Berwick, being a third time invefted with the chief command in Spain, fat down before it with an army compofed of fifty battalions of French, and twenty of Spanish foot, together with fifty-one fquadrons of borfe; while another army, divided into different bodies, kept the country in awe, and a French and Spanish fleet cut off all communication with the town by fea. He had eighty-feven pieces of heavy cannon, fifteen hundred thoufand weight of powder, and every thing elfe in profufing, that could be thought of for facilitating a fiege. The garrifon of Barcelona confifted of fixteen thousand men, and the fortifications were formidable, efpecially on the fide toward the land. The duke of Berwick made his attack on the fide next the fea, where the operations were more easy, by reafon of certain eminences, behind which several battallions might be placed under cover; and where the curtains of the baflions being much raifed, offered a fair mark for the cannon of the beliegers *. AFTER the trenches had been opened about a month, a breach was made in the bastion of St. Clara, and a lodgment effected; but the aTailants were fuddenly driven from their poft, with the lofs of a thousand men. This misfortune, and the vigorous refiftance of the besieged, determined the duke of Berwick to hazard no more partial attacks. 63. Duke of Berwick's Mem. vol. ii. Gg 2 64. Id. ibid. A. D. 1714. Aug. 13. PART. I A.D. 1714. Sept. 11. He refolved to lay the front of the place fo completely level, that he might enter it, as it were, in line of battle. And he accomplished his purpose, by patience and perfeverance. But before he ordered the general affault, he fummoned the town to furrender. So great, however, was the obftinacy of the citizens, that, although their provifions were almost exhausted, though feven breaches had been made in the body of the place, and no probability remained of their receiving either aid or fupply, they hung out a flag of defiance, and refused to liften to any terms of capitulation!-The affault was made and repelled with fury. At length, after struggling from day-break till three in the afternoon, and being driven from most of their works, the inhabitants demanded a parley. It was granted them. But they could obtain no conditions, except a promise that their lives fhould be fafe, and that the town fhould not be plundered. That promife was religioufly obferved by the duke of Berwick, who had loft ten thousand men during the fiege, and the citizens about fix thoufand 5. All Catalonia fubmitted; and the Catalans were disarmed, and ftript of their ancient privileges. THIS, my dear Philip, to ufe the language of an elegant hiftorian, was the laft flame of that great fire, kindled by the will of Charles II. of Spain, which had fo long laid waste the finest countries in Europe. I ought now to carry forward the adventures of Charles XII. and the affairs of the North; but perfpicuity requires, that I first elucidate those intrigues, which we have feen gathering in the court of England. 65. Duke of Berwick, ubi fup. 66. Voltaire, Siecle, chap. xxii. LET GREAT BRITAIN, from the Peace of UTRECHT, to the Suppreffion of the Rebellion, in 1715, with fome Account of the Affairs of FRANCE, and the Intrigues of the Court of ST. GERMAINS. THE peace of Utrecht, though in itself an un LETTER popular measure, afforded the English miniftry a momentary triumph over their political adver- A. D. 1713. faries, and highly raised the hopes of the Jacobites; who flattered themfelves, that the reftoration of general tranquillity would enable the queen to take fome effectual step in favour of the Pretender, whofe interefts the feemed now to have fincerely at heart. But it will be neceffary, my dear Philip, the better to illuftrate this matter, to go a few years back, and collect fuch particulars relative to the court of St. Germains, as could not readily enter into the general narration. In the beginning of the year 1711, the abbé Gaultier, who was employed in the fecret negociations between France and England, waited upon the duke of Berwick, at St. Germains, with propofals from the earl of Oxford, for the restoration of the Pretender. Thefe propofals were in fubftance, That provided queen Anne fhould be permitted to enjoy the crown in tranquillity during her life, fhe would fecure to her brother the poffeflion of it, after her death; and that fufficient ftipulations should be signed, on his fide, for the prefervation of the church of England and the liberties of the kingdom'. Thefe preliminaries be 1. Duke of Berwick's Mem. vol. ii. A. D. 1711. |