HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAPTER IX.

Or the military operations which marked the year 1707, those in Spain should be first related, as much the earliest in date and, as having considerable influence upon the rest.

In the last days of 1706 Peterborough had landed again at Barcelona, bringing with him a large sum of money which he had raised in Italy. He travelled along the coast by easy journeys to Valencia, where Charles was then residing. All his letters show him in high spirits and volatile as ever. Thus he wrote to Stanhope early on the 10th of January, the day he intended to arrive: “I shall not be able to come to Valencia till the evening, and so must put off the dinner to the more agreeable meal a supper, when Colonel Breton and myself intend to mortify you with the account of our happy days in Italy. Of the nights we will say nothing."

Arriving at Valencia, Peterborough could not fail to be warmly greeted by the Marquis of La Casta, the Count of Villa Franquesa, and those other gentlemen to whom he had so generously sent supplies for their

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equipage in the last campaign. With the King there was a total change. The Earl discreetly assigned 13,000 pistoles of the money brought from Genoa to His Majesty's own special use; and His Majesty at once laid aside his former bitterness against the English chief; showing him henceforth every token of the highest regard. "My Lord," so Stanhope reports to Sir Charles Hedges, "has expressed himself dissatisfied with me for having writ formerly to the Secretary that there was a misunderstanding betwixt the King and his Lordship. I have always thought it my duty to represent matters here as I apprehended them to be. Whether I was then mistaken or not in the account I gave will probably have been seen by the letters the King and his Lordship writ to England. As I thought it my duty to give an account when it seemed to me there was a difference between them, so I think myself obliged to do the same when there is a seeming good understanding, without entering into the motives that occasioned either their difference or their reconciliation."

Peterborough had returned to Spain much in the character, as he conceived, of a volunteer, not having the seniority to command, nor yet the temper to be commanded. He took part however in several Councils of War to determine the operations for the next campaign; one especially five days after his arrival, and another on the 4th of February. At Charles's desire all the officers present gave their opinions in writing. That of Peterborough was entirely for the defensive at this time. He urged the importance of maintaining the provinces of the Crown of Aragon, and the risks that would attend a new invasion of Castille. Stanhope on the other hand observed that

they might soon expect considerable reinforcements. When last year the Ministers in England finally relinquished their scheme of a descent upon the coast of France, they determined that the body of troops appointed for that service should be transferred to Spain. Earl Rivers, the General in command of those troops, and Sir Cloudesley Shovel, the Admiral of the Fleet which conveyed them, had written to announce their arrival at Lisbon and might in another fortnight anchor in Alicant Bay. Such forces, said Stanhope, have not been sent over by the Queen to pine away as garrisons. When joined to those already in Valencia -English and Dutch, Portuguese and Catalans—they would be more than a match for Berwick. Why then not march forward and give battle?

Notwithstanding the weight which Peterborough might justly claim from his former and great successes, it was Stanhope's plan which found most favour with the other chiefs assembled, especially Galway and Das Minas. An offensive system for the next campaign was therefore resolved upon. Peterborough still remonstrated. But his career in Spain, or indeed in any military sphere, was now drawing to a close. His eccentric course, so wholly self-relying, so independent of orders from home, had given great offence, and brought him several reprimands from the Ministers in England, more especially on the ground of confused accounts, and of constant bickerings with the King of Spain.

Then the Earl was apprised how at the beginning of December the Seals had been taken from Sir Charles Hedges and granted to Lord Sunderland. He immediately wrote to the new Secretary a long letter to vindicate his conduct on all points, and urging also

numerous complaints of his own. "But my Lord," he said, “I will esteem nothing hardship from the Queen, but count all that has passed happy opportunities of showing my greatest zeal for her service. I think there is a little gallantry in the case, and that I receive mortifications as lovers do, which only increase the passion. . . My Lord, I most heartily congratulate your coming into public business in the office you are in. It is my misfortune it was not sooner, for I am sure not only of your justice but favour, and very confident you will approve of these endeavours of mine.”

This confidence as it proved was entirely erroneous. The new Secretary of State carried with him into office, what indeed had brought him there, the strongest party attachments. Like the other Whig chiefs of that day, he warmly supported Galway, whom they looked upon as one of themselves, while with his rival they had little or no connection. Urging Peterborough's real failings, and not duly mindful of his as real services, Sunderland had been little more than a month in possession of the Seals ere he prevailed upon the Queen to sanction his recall. Not only this, but in writing the despatch to the English chief, Sunderland announced the recall in the sharpest and bitterest terms. Majesty having been informed by letters from Genoa that your lordship has taken up great sums of money there at a most extravagant price, has commanded me to acquaint you that she has ordered the Bills for the said money not to be accepted, the same having been.

"Her

To the Earl of Sunderland, | On the same day the same indeValencia, Feb. 27, 1707. This fatigable penman wrote a second letter, which I derive from Coxe's supplementary letter to Sundertranscripts, takes up no less than land and another also of great sixteen closely written folio pages. length to Marlborough.