A. C. 1711. King Charles's Prefence being abfolutely neceffary in Germany, his Catholick Majefty refolved to leave the Regency of Catalonia in the Hands of his Royal Confort, and thereupon wrote the following Letter to the Deputies of that Principality. K. Charles's Depaties of THE KING. Iluftrious, Venerable, Excellent, Noble, Magnificent and our Beloved and most Faith ful Deputies and Auditors of Accompts of the Generality of this Principality of Catalonia. THE fudden and unexpected Death of the Emperor Jofeph, my Brother, by which the Imperial Throne is become vacant, made me think at firft that my Prefence was neceffary in Germany, there to oppofe the pernicious Defigns of my Enemies, who will not fail, in this fatal Conjuncture, to try to disturb the Quiet of my Kingdoms and Hereditary Countries, and to embroil all Germany: But the Confideration of the Concern which my Abfence would give you, ⚫ made me fufpend till now that juft and neceffary Refolution. In the mean time, as my Prefence is abfolutely requifite in my Dominions and Hereditary Countries, to preferve Tranquility in them, principally to give Order for the Welfare of our Holy Religion there, and particularly to provide for you, with all poffible Diligence, Troops and Subfidies for the Defence of this moft Faithful Principality, and for putting an end to this War; Confiderations which have induced the Princes of Germany to follicit my Departure, for preventing the great Mifchiefs which the pernicious Designs of my Enemies might produce: All this has "determined Me to go over for a little time to Germany: And though it be very convenient for for me, and for all my good and faithful Vaf fals, that I fhould not be feparated from the Queen my Confort, I am willing however to give you the greatest Proof of that Affection, C which have deferved of Me by your Conftancy, by leaving with you, and trufting to your Fidelity, what I hold moft dear and valucable. ε you This Parting will moft fenfibly affect Me, • but 'tis alleviated by the Thought, that by it I am labouring for your greater Relief. 'Tis upon the Experience I have had of your Fidelity, that I ground the Refolution I have taken. The Glorious Sacrifice which you made me in the worst of Times, gives me affured Hope, that on all Occafions, which fhall offer, you will give all neceffary Affiftance to the Queen my Confort; which alone is capable to comfort me in my Abfence, which will not be long, and in which, I affure you, I will ufe my utmost Efforts to put an End to a War that lies fo heavy C upon you; and deliver you, by Force of Arms, from all that you have fuffered with fo much Conftancy from my Enemies. I recommend once more to you the precious C Pledge I leave with you, and as She will be a Relief to you, She will likewife find Confolation in your conftant Fidelity. You owe that Fidelity to the Paternal Love I have for you, and of which I am going to labour to give you yet greater Marks, by the entire Reduction of the Spanish Monarchy, which will firmly eftablish the Glory of the Catalonian Nation; And though the Lords the Prefidents merited to hear from my own Mouth thefe Expreffions of my Tenderness, and have reported them to you, I could not but repeat them, to the End you may the better know how far my Affection to'wards you extends; thereby to engage you to ⚫ continue yours for the Service of the Queen my Confort, and to apply your felves to provide all the indifpenfible Supplies in the prefent Juncture, for the Good of this Principality, till I fhall return A. C. 1711. A. C. 1711. return in Perfon to animate you thereto, for your greater Confolation. Barcelona, Sept. 6: 1711, Sign'd, I THE KING. His Catholick Majefty, whom hereafter we The new Em-fhall call Emperor, having embark'd at Barcelona at Vado,and the 27th of September N. S. on Board the Confegoes to Milan derate Fleet commanded by Sir John Jennings and peror arrives lan. voy Rear Admiral Pieterfon, arrived at Vado the 7th of October, and having refolv'd not to fet his Foot on Genoefe Ground, upon Account of fome Slights put upon him by that Republick, continued on Board his Ship till the 12th, when out of a Boat he stept into a Poft-Chaife at San Pietro d'A rena, and went directly for Milan, where he aroa. 13.N.S. rived the next Day. In his way thither his Imperial Majesty had an Interview with the Duke of Savoy, and afterwards another with the Duke of Modena; and having continued fome Days at Mitan, and there receiv'd the folemn Congratulatory Embaffies of the Republicks of Venice and He receives Genoa, of the Pope, who fent thither Cardinal folemn Em Imperiali his Legate à Latere; of the Duke of Sa and of other Princes and States of Italy: On the 10th of November, his Imperial Majefty fet out from Milan, lay that Night at Lodi, dined the 11th at Piccighitone, and the fame Day reach'd Cremona, whence he continued his Journey by Mantua and Roveredo towards Infpruck. In his Paffage through the Venetian Territories he was received with all poffible Demonstrations of Respect, and entertain'd at the Charge of the Republick, to the Confines of the State; where the Venetian Ambaffadors taking their Leave of Imperial Majefty, he exprefs'd his entire Satisfaction with the Honour he had received from the Republick; and defired the Ambaffadors to affure their Principals, That he would by all poffible means cultivate a good Correfpondence with them. Carrives at The Emperor arrived the 20th of November at Infpruck Nov.20.N.s, Infpruck, where he gave Audience to Signior Al 1711. bani, the Pope's Nephew; and having receiv'd A. C. from 2 A. C. from his landing near Vado, to his Arrival at 1711. Frankfort, we do not find that he gave any Audience to the Earl of Peterborom, who, upon the The Earl of Receipt of fome Dispatches from England, fet out Peterborow from Milan towards the latter end of November, goes to Ve- and went to Venice. nice. ferences be tween the enna and dation. The Earl of The fatal Differences between the Courts of Peterborow Vienna and Turin, having, in a great Measure, pass the Dif- obftructed the Operations of War on the fide of Piemont for the two preceding Campaigns, the Courts of Vi. Queen of Great Britain fent early the Earl of Peterborow to thofe Two Courts, to make new InTurin in a ftances for an Accommodation; and Her Majesty's fair way of Accommo- Interpofition proved fo effectual, that fome few Days before the late Emperor was taken ill, he granted to the Duke of Savoy the poffeffion of the Fiefs in the Montferrat,with all the Rights and Privileges that were enjoyed by the former Dukes of that Country,and doubtless, would have given a full Satisfaction to that Prince on his other Pretenfions, had not his Death prevented the fame. His Royal Highness being fatisfied therewith, took the Field in Perfon with his own Troops and the Auxialiries of the Emperor and others, forced his way into the Dutchy of Savoy, penetrated as far as the Rhone, but was ftopt by the French, who were Campaign in pofted near Fort Barraux in an unacceffible Camp, Savoy icon-to that all the Service his Royal Highness was able to do this Summer to the Common Caufe, was to give the Enemy a Diverfion, which both obliged them to fend a Detachment from Alface to put the Duke of Berwick in a Condition to prevent the intended Invafion of Dauphinè, and hinder'd them from fending any Detachments from Dauphiné to Catalonia. However, it will not be amifs to fubjoin here the Journal of the March of the Confederate Army, contain'd in a Letter dated at Conflans the 22d of July, which is as fol Gderable. March of the Confederate. Army at the opening the Campaign. lows: THE 29th of the laft Month, after having invoked the Bleffing of Heaven, and regulated all the Difpofitions of the Campaign, the Army in Piedmont began to move. The Barons de Schuy |