A. C. jefty fo readily confented to the Act of Neutra1710-11. lity, to convince the Allies, how far it is from his Majesty's Defign to difturb them in their Succeffes. His Majefty has been pleas'd to give fo many Proofs of his good Intentions that the Allies cannot in the leaft doubt, but he would willingly contribute to every thing that is agreable to their Interefts. But to facilitate this Nego'ciation of Peace, his Majefty thinks it abfolutely neceffary, that the Affair of the Neutrality be forthwith brought to entire Perfection; and, That neither that Affair,nor any other Measures which it may be requifite to take, against the Enterprizes of the Enemy, may be retarded by fuch kind of Propofals: That it would be neceffary above all things to be well affur'd of the King of • Sweden's Intentions, and to induce him to make the first Overture of his Sentiments to the Empe'ror, and to the Maritime Powers, whofe Mediation will always be acceptable to his Majesty. I am, &c. The Queen of After feveral Conferences held at the Hague in Great Bri- relation to the Affembling the Body of Troops detain and the fign'd for the Prefervation of the Neutrality of the States Gen- North, it was at length refolv'd that Her Britan ral order the nick Majefty and the States General fhould emQuota's to ploy in that Service the eight Palatine Batallions in maintain the their Pay, and provide the other four, that would Neutrality in still be wanting to compleat their Quota's, where march of the the North. Sir James Wishart arrives at Hague Feb. 25. N. S. they might best be fpar'd, without affecting the Common Caufe. On the 22d of March N. S: the Polish Minifter receiv'd an Express from the King their Mafters, with Orders to press the March of thofe Troops; and having the next Day, had a Conference, with the Minifters of the Allies, it was refolv'd that by the 15th of the next Month, they fhould be at Gronenburgh on the Oder, the Place appointed for their General Rendez, vous. Some time before Sir James Wishart arthe rived at the Hague from England, to concert the Operations at Sea, with Commiffioners_appointed by the States General for that Pur pose. There the Pruffian There was at this Juncture another Affair of A. C. no fmall Confequence agitating at the Hague: 1711. For when the High Allies expected to hear, that w the King of Pruffia's Troops were on their March Unexpected into the Field, the Sieurs Grumkom and Hymmen, Demands of that Prince's Minifters, declar'd, That unless their Minifters. Mafter had full Satisfaction given him as to the Arrears due to his Forces, and the Succeffion of the late King William, as Prince of Orange, his Troops fhould not march out of their WinterQuarters. The Allies were fomewhat ftartled at this unexpected Declaration; but the Deputies of the States having had feveral Conferences with the Pruffian Minifters, an Agreement was concluded, containing in Subftance. That the Arrears due to his Pruffian Majefty fhould be paid in four Months time: That notwithstanding the Satisfaction Houfe of Dieren had been adjudged by Sentence given to their of a Court of Judicature to the Prince of Naf fau, the States confented that his Pruffian Ma jefty fhould continue to make ufe of it; and that the Council who had adminiftred the Re⚫ venue of the Succeffion of Orange fince the Death of the late King, fhould be obliged fpeedily to 'give an Account of the fame. As foon as the Deputies had made this Declaration, and promifed that fome other Articles infifted upon by the King of Pruffia, fhould be regulated with all speed, the Pruffian Minifters fent Orders to the Troops of their Mafter to hold themfelves in a Readinefs to march upon the first Orders of the States; and the King of Pruffia having approved this Agreement, the faid Troops began their March for the Ne. therlands. Master. at the Hague The Duke of Argyle arrived at the Hague the TD of Ar4th of April N. S. and having made a Vifit to the glea Penfionary, and another to the Lord Townfiend, and reade continued his Journey for Spain. His Grace did on his fournot think fit to vilit either the Duke of Marlbo-ney to Spain. rongh or the Prefident of the Affembly of the States, being very much in hafte; but their High Mightineffes fent their Agent to compliment him, and wifh him a good Journey and profperous Success in his Command. About this tune allo A a 4 the the Hague in A. C. the Lord Raby, who was appointed to fucceed the 1711. Lord Viscount Townshend, as Ambaffador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from the Queen of The Ld Raby Great Britain to the States General, being arriappointed Ambafador ved at the Hague from Berlin, deliver'd his Creand Plenipo- dentials in the ufual Form; and the Prefident of ·· tentiary at the Affembly upon returning the Vifit his Excelthe room of lency had given him, fignified to him, That Her the Lord Majefty's Choice of his Excellency to repreTownshend. fenter Royal Perfon, was highly acceptable to the States Not long after the Lord Vif count Townshend fet out from the Hague in order to embark for England, leaving behind him a general Regret, and the moft folid Reputation that ever was gain'd by any British Minifter with that Wife Republick. Arrives there April 8. N.S. The Lord Townshend returns to England, ge nerally regretted and esteemed. and the De Campaign. The Duke of Marlborough expected with great Impatience the Arrival of Prince Eugene of Savoy, Prince E who was fome time detain'd at Vienna by the gene detain coming thither of a Turkish Aga, with a partifome time at Vienna bythe Cular Commiffion from the Ottoman Port, to reTurkish Aga move any Jealoufy that might be entertain'd at the Imperial Court, from the Warlike Preparations the Turks were at this time making aThe Duke of gainft Muscovy and Poland. In the mean while Marborough his Grace was daily in Conference with the Deputies of the puties of the States, to concert the Operations of States con War, and it being thought of utmoft Importance cert the Ope to be in the Field before the Enemy, it was rations of the refoly'd to caufe Detachments from all the Garrifons to canton along the Scarpe, and between that River and the Canal of Douay, whereby a great Body might in few Hours be form'd, and be in a readiness to march, which was, with great Diligence put in Execution under the Direction of Lieutenant General Cadogan, and fuch Care was taken to conceal the Numbers of thefe Detachments, that the Enemy could have no Account of it; the Parties they fent out for Intelligence, not being able to pass the faid River or Canal. At the fame time vaft Magazines were providing at Tournay, from whence Provifions and other Neceffaries were to be fent up the Scheld and the Scarpe to Douay, for the Subfiftance of the Troops, and The Confede rate Troops canton. the femble. the Hague the Operations of the Campaign; and on the o A. C. ther Hand the French Forces began about the 1711. middle of April to affemble near Cambray and Arras. The Marefchal de Villars being expected The French at either of thefe Places the 25th of April N. S. begin to afthe Duke of Marlborough fet out from the Hague' the 23d of the fame Month, and embark'd the The Pake of fame Day at Streyn Sas on Board a Yacht of the Marlboroug States, which conducted him to Ghent, where hissant from Grace arriv'd the 25th, and the next Day reach'd April 23. Tournay, near which Place the Troops were en- N. S. camp'd in feveral Bodies. His Grace having held a Council of War with the Deputies of the States and the Generals, it was refolv'd, That thofe feveral Bodies fhould join and form the Army; which was done accordingly on the 30th, and the Toe Confede Army encamp'd with the Right on the Marque, encamps at and the Left on the Scarpe, the Town of Orchies be- Orchics Aing in the Center, where the Duke took his Quar- pril 30. N. S. ters. Upon thefe Motions the French Troops drew likewife together, and encamped behind the Senfet, the Right to Oify, and the Left to Mouchy French bele Procufe, having diverted the Course of the bind the SanScarpe at Bioche, whereby that River fell into the fer. Senfet, and render'd their Camp almost unacceffible on the Left and on the Front, befides which their Flank was cover'd by the Scheld. rate Army And the His Grace thereupon broke up from Orchie's on the firft of May N. 'S. and his Army having pass'd the Scarpe, partly at Pont-a-Rache, and at partly at Marchienne, encamp'd all along the Road from The ConfideDouay to Valenciennes, the Left to Sommain and rates march to Waide. the Right to Goulezin, Warde being almost in the Center, where the Duke took his Quarters : But nothing material happen'd till the 9th of the fame Month, when 3000 French detach'd from Valenciennes and Conde, attack'd at Tuns between St. Amand and Mortagne, a Convoy of forty Several Boats five Boats laden with Hay and Oats for the Con-laden with federate Army, which fet out from Tournay Hay andOats under a Guard of two Batallions commanded by the French deftroped by Brigadier Chambrier. The Action was very hot: May 9. but notwithstanding the Vigorous Refiftance of the Guard, the Enemy burnt twelve Boats. How A. C. ever, the Garrifon of St. Amand coming to the 1711. Affiftance of the Guard, the French retir'd, having had about 100 Men kill'd and wounded, and Bares Ho the Lofs on the fide of the Allies being near the fame. All the other Boats having efcaped, the Damage the Confederates fuftain'd on this Occafion was very inconfiderable. On the 26th of April the Baron de Hohendorf, Adjutant General to Prince Eugene of Savoy, arrihendorf no- ved at the Hague with the fad News of the EmDeath of the peror's Death, of which his Highness received an Emperer to Account two Miles on this fide Nurembergh in his tifies the the States General. way for the Netherlands: Whereupon Count Zinzendorf had the fame Day a Conference with the Penfionary and the Lord Raby. The next Morning thofe Minifters were again in Conference with the Deputies of the States; and fome time after the Deputies repair'd to the Affembly of the Minifters of Refolutions the High Allies, and communicated to'em the Refotaken by the lution taken by the States General in this unexpectpon April ed Conjuncture, importing in fubftance: That it 'fhould be reprefented by Letters to the Electors States there 22.N.S. of the Empire, that the first and only effectual • Means to be us'd for the Preservation and Welfare " of the Common Caufe of the High Allies, was the Continuance and Improvement of a good Underftanding, Truft and Union between the High Allies and the Empire; that fo each might contribute to carry on the War with Vigour ⚫ and Success, without making any Alteration in the Common Meafures. That nothing could be more advantageous to all the Allies and to the C Empire itself, than to proceed to the Election of a new Emperor as foon as poffible, and to chufe * fuch a Perfon as might be moft fit and able to C carry on the Common Caufe, and to promote it with the fame Force and Succefs as the late Emperor did. That whereas the Imperial Dignity had for a long Courfe of Time been con ferr❜d on Princes of the Houfe of Auftria, and no Male-Heir of that Houfe was at prefent left except the only Brother of his late Imperial Majefty King Charles III, therefore their High Mightineffes left it to the Confideration of the Electors, whether any Perfon could be found 'who |