Vaubrun, was added to their grand misfortune. They retreated: Montecuculi pressed them hard; but, by the valour of the English auxiliaries, who brought up the rear, and the abilities of de Lorges, who inherited a considerable share of the genius of his uncle, they were enabled to repass the Rhine without much loss. Leaving the army in Flanders, under the command of Luxembourg, the prince of Conde came with a reinforcement to supply the place of Turenne : and though he was not, perhaps, in all respects, equal to that consummate general, he not only prevented the Germans from establishing themselves in Alsace, but obliged them to repass the Rhine, and take winter-quarters in their own country53. Before the arrival of Conde, however, a detachment from the German army had been sent to the siege of Trieves; an enterprise which the allies had greatly at heart. In the meantime, the mareschal de Crequi advanced with a French army to the relief of the place. The Germans, whom he despised, leaving part of their forces in the lines, advanced to meet him with the main body, under the dukes of Zell and Oznabrug, and totally routed him. He escaped with only four attendants, and throwing himself into Trieves, determined to perish rather than surrender the town. But the garrison, after a gallant defence, resolving not to fall a sacrifice to his obstinacy, capitulated for themselves; and because he refused to sign the articles, they delivered him into the hands of the enemy54. The king of Sweden, who had been induced by the payment of large subsidies to take part with France, was still more unfortunate this campaign than Lewis. The Dutch, the Spaniards, the Danes, became at once his enemies. He was defeated by the elector of Brandenburg, whose territories he had invaded, and lost all Pomerania. Bremerfurt 53. Id. Ibid 54. Voltaire, ubi sup. was was taken by the troops of Brunswic-Lunenburg; Wolgast, by those of Brandenburg; and Wismar fell into the hands of the Danes's. It was now the crisis for the king of England, by a vigo rous concurrence with the allies, to have regained the confi dence of his people and the respect of all Europe. He might have set bounds forever to the power of France, and have been the happy instrument of preventing all those long and bloody wars, which were occasioned by the disputes in regard to the Spanish succession, as well as those which have been the consequence of a prince of the house of Bourbon being established on the throne of Spain. Charles was not ignorant of the importance of his situation; but, instead of taking advantage of it, to restrain the ambition of Lewis XIV. he thought only of acquiring money to squander upon his pleasures, by selling his neutrality to that monarch!— A new secret treaty was accordingly concluded A. D. 1677. between the two kings, by which they obliged themselves to enter into no treaties without mutual consent; and in which Charles farther stipulates, in consideration of an annual pension, to prorogue or dissolve his parliament, should it attempt to force him to declare war against France56. 55. Mem. de Brandenburg. Thus 56. Rouvigny to Lewis XIV. Jan. 9, and Feb. 27, 1675, in Dalrymple's Append. The proofs that Charles was a pensioner of France, do not rest solely upon these letters. They are also to be found in King James's Mem. and the Danby papers. Bolingbroke seems to have been perfectly acquainted with them; and very justly observes, that Charles II. by this meanness, whatever might be his motives for submitting to it, "established the supe"riority of France in Europe." (Letters on the Study of History.) Unprincipled as the ministers of Charles were, it is with pleasure that we learn from Rouvigny's dispatches, not one of them heartily concurred in this infamous treaty. Hence," says he to his master, "your majesty will plainly see, that in all England, there is only the king and the duke of York, who embrace your interests with affection!" (Feb. 27, 1676.) And in Thus secure of the neutrality of England, Lewis made vigorous preparations for carrying on the war in Flanders, and was early in the field in person. He laid siege to Conde in the month of April, and took it by storm. Bouchain fell into his hands by the middle of May; the prince of Orange, who was ill supported by his allies, not daring to attempt its relief, on account of the advantageous position of the French army. After facing each other for some time, the two armies withdrew to a greater distance, as if by mutual consent, neither chusing to hazard an engagement. The king of France, with his usual avidity of praise, and want of perseverance, returned to Versailles, leaving the command of his army to Mareschal Schomberg: and the prince of Orange, on the departure of Lewis, laid siege to Maestricht. The trenches were opened towards the end of July, and many desperate assaults made, and several outworks taken; but all without effect. The place made a gallant defence: sickness broke out in the confederate army; and on the approach of Schomberg, who had already taken Aire, the prince of Orange was obliged to abandon his enterprise 57. The taking of Philipsburg, by the Imperialists, was the only success that attended the armies of the allies during the campaign. France was no less successful by sea than by land.... Lewis XIV. had very early discovered an ambition of forming a powerful navy: and during the war between England and Holland, in which he was engaged, his subjects had ac in a future letter, he adds, in confirmation of this singular exception, "I "can answer for it to your majesty, that there are none of your own sub"jects who wish you better success, in all your undertakings, than these two "princes; but it is also true, that you cannot count upon any, but these "two friends, in all England!" (Jan. 28, 1677.) The ambassador's only fear, therefore, was, that Charles might be "drawn into the sentiments of "his people!" And the PENSION was esteemed a necessary "new tye,” to bind him to the interests of France. Rouvigny, ubi sup. 57. Temple's Memoirs, part ii quired quired in perfection the art of ship-building, as well as the most approved method of conducting sea-engagements, by means of signals, said to have been invented by the duke of York. An accidental circumstance now afforded Lewis an opportunity of displaying his naval strength, to the astonishment and terror of Europe. Messina, in Sicily, had revolted from Spain, and a French fleet, under the duke de Vivonne; was sent to support the citizens in their rebellion. A Dutch and Spanish squadron sailed to oppose Vivonne; but, after an obstinate combat Messina was relieved by the French. Another engagement ensued near Augusta, rendered famous by the death of the gallant de Ruyter, and in which the French had also the advantage. A third battle, more decisive than any of the former, was fought off Palermo. The combined fleet, to the number of twenty-seven ships of the line, nineteen gallies, and four fire-ships, was drawn up in a line without the mole, and under cover of the fortifications. The disposition was good, and the appearance formidable; yet Vivonne, or rather du Quesne, who commanded under him, and was a great naval officer, did not hesitate to venture an attack with a squadron inferior in strength. The battle was sustained. with great vigour on both sides: until the French, taking advantage of a favourable wind, sent some fire-ships in among the enemy. All was now confusion and terror. Twelve capital ships were sunk, burnt, or taken; five thousand men lost their lives; and the French, riding undisputed masters of the Mediterranean, endangered the total revolt of Naples and Sicily 58. A congress had been opened at Nimeguen, in the beginning of the year; but no progress, it was found, could be made in negociation, till the war had taken a more decisive turn. The disappointment of the allies, in the events of the campaign, had now much damped their sanguine hopes; 58. Le Clerc, vol. ii. Voltaire, Siecle, chap. xii. and and the Hollanders, on whom the whole weight of the war lay, seeing no prospect of a general pacification, began to entertain thoughts of concluding a separate treaty with France. They were loaded with debts and harrassed with taxes; their commerce languished; and, exclusive of the disadvantages attending all leagues, the weakness of the Spaniards, and the divisions and delays of the Germans, prognosticated nothing but disgrace and ruin. They themselves had no motive for continuing the war, beside a desire of securing a good frontier to Flanders; yet gratitude to their allies inclined them to try whether another campaign might not produce a peace that would give general satisfaction. And the prince of Orange, actuated by ambition and animosity against France, endeavoured to animate them to a steady perseverance in their honourable resolution. In the meantime, the eyes of all parties were turned toward England. Charles II. was universally allowed to be the arbiter of Europe; and no terms of peace which he would have prescribed could have been refused by any of the contending powers. The Spaniards believed, that he would never suffer Flanders to be subdued by France; or, if he could be so far lost to his own interest, that the parliament would force him to take part with the confedeA. D. 1677. rates 59. The parliament was at last assembled, FEB. 15. in order to appease the murmurs of the people, after a recess of upwards of twelve months. Disputes about their own rights engaged the peers for a time; and the commons proceeded with temper, in taking into consideration the state of the navy, which the king had recommended to their attention. Every thing seemed to promise a peaceable and easy session. But the rapid and unexpected progress of the French arms soon disturbed this tranquility, and directed to other objects the deliberation of both houses. Lewis having previously formed large magazines in Flanders, had taken the field in February. Attended by his 59. Temple's Mem. part ii. chap. ii. brother |