at Vienna on the 17th of April New Style, leaving no male issue behind him. Thus his next heir was his brother, acknowledged by the Allies as King Charles the Third. It was obvious what new complications might arise from this untoward event. The balance of power and the liberties of Europe, endangered by the reign of the Bourbons at Madrid, might be no less in peril if the monarchy of Charles the Fifth were revived, and the Crown of the Empire once again united with the Crown of Spain.

The immediate object however was not to guard against this future contingency, but rather to cement the Grand Alliance and to combine to one end the High Allies. "Her Majesty "-so said the Queen in her Message to the Commons-" is desirous to let you know that immediately on the first news of the Emperor's sickness she came to a resolution to support the interest of the House of Austria in this conjuncture, and to use her utmost endeavours to get the King of Spain made Emperor, in which the States General have likewise concurred with Her Majesty." The Queen further expressed her hope that she might be able to bring this war to a happy conclusion by a safe and honorable peace. And St. John adds in a private letter written the same day-"We persuade ourselves here that there is no doubt to be made of King Charles's being elected Emperor; but the satisfying the Duke of Savoy on his pretensions to Spain seems to be the knot of the whole affair."

་

On the 26th Harley reappeared in the House of Commons for the first time since his illness. Then by pre

vious direction of the House the Speaker addressed him in a Speech of florid compliment and congratulation, and Harley made a suitable reply. On the 2nd of May

following he brought forward his scheme of finance. He proposed to satisfy all the outstanding Debts and Deficiencies, which amounted in the Navy alone to upwards of five millions, and on the whole to nearly ten millions sterling, by allowing the proprietors of these Debts and Deficiencies a yearly interest of six per cent. redeemable by Parliament, and incorporating them to carry on the trade to the South Seas. This project was far more specious than solid, as ere long was proved by the event; nevertheless at the time it was received with great applause. And the charges then beginning to be raised against the late administration, for irregularity and mismanagement in the public accounts, served even while the inquiry upon them was pending to swell the triumph of Harley.

By another favor of Fortune to this most successful Minister, it so chanced that, on the very day when he brought forward his scheme of finance, there died suddenly his principal rival in his party's favor, Laurence Hyde Earl of Rochester. The elevation of Harley had been even previously resolved upon; it was now but little delayed. On the 24th of the month came forth the Patent which made him Earl of Oxford. It was the revival of an ancient and illustrious title, borne by twenty Earls in succession of the race of De Vere. The last having died but nine years before, it was deemed probable that from so long a lineage a remote descendant might yet appear and be able to establish his claim. To provide for such a contingency,

이 a second title, also eminent in former ages, was con

4 A very interesting sketch of this the noblest of the English

noble families is given by Lord

Macaulay (Hist. vol. ii. p. 319).

The Earldom, created in 1137, became extinct in 1702.

ferred on Harley; and his title ran Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.

But this was not all. On the 29th of May-selected as the anniversary of King Charles's Restoration-Oxford was raised to the further dignity of Lord Treasurer. He went in due form to take the oaths, first in the Court of Chancery and then in the Court of Exchequer, on which occasion he was addressed by Lord Keeper Harcourt in a true Lord Chamberlain style: "My Lord Oxford, the Queen, who does everything with the greatest wisdom, has given a proof of it in the honours she has lately conferred on you, which are exactly suited to your deserts and qualifications." To a bystander it might well seem wonderful what a train of accidents-some of them at first sight most unpromising—had led to this vast rise of a very commonplace politician. As Swift puts it: "This man has grown by persecutions, turnings out, and stabbing. What waiting and crowding and bowing will there be at his Levee! "5

Besides the Earl of Rochester there died at this time another of the Ministers, the Duke of Newcastle, from a fall of his horse at Welbeck. The Duke of Buckingham succeeded Rochester as Lord President, and the Earl of Jersey was designed in Newcastle's place to hold the Privy Seal. But Jersey expired in a fit of apoplexy on the very day for which the appointment had been fixed. "I never remember " says Swift" SO many persons of quality to have died in so short a time."

Under the circumstances of this sudden mortality the Privy Seal thus left vacant was conferred on Dr. John

" Journal to Stella, May 22, 1711.

Robinson, Bishop of Bristol. It was the last time in. our annals that a Bishop has been called upon to fill a political office. Even in the reign of Queen Anne this nomination is said to have excited great surprise; and it was regarded as a proof how thoroughly the Church had acquired the ascendant.

There were other appointments also. The Duke of Argyle, at this time closely banded with the Tories, had been, earlier in the year, sent as General and Ambassador to Spain instead of Stanhope, who was still detained a prisoner. Lord Raby, lately Minister at Berlin, was chosen to succeed Lord Townshend at the Hague, and was moreover promoted to the rank of Earl of Strafford. Another Earldom was granted to Lord Dartmouth. Earl Poulett, the nominal chief of the Treasury while yet in commission, was made Lord Steward in the place of Buckingham. Meanwhile the Session had been protracted to the unusual period of the 12th of June, the chief employment of the House of Commons being to discover grounds of charge against the late Lord Treasurer. Auditor Harley, a brother of the new one, took the Chair of a second Committee upon the public accounts, which pursued its inquiries in a spirit of party rancour, and with a view to represent irregularities of form as flagrant depredations or abuses of trust. It summed up its accusations by reporting, that of the monies granted by Parliament for the public service up to Christmas 1710 no less than thirty-five millions remained unaccounted for, as to great part of which no accounts bad ever been so much as laid before the Auditor.

For Flanders, Marlborough had formed his plans in concert with Eugene. These chiefs, as in the last preceding years, were to be confronted by Villars, who had

with great care and labour constructed a new series of defensive lines in the direction of Arras and Cambray. Early in the spring Marlborough was prepared to quit the Hague and to join the head-quarters at Tournay, there to be speedily joined by his German colleague. But the unexpected death of the Emperor entirely disconcerted his schemes. Eugene was detained at Vienna as Marshal of the Empire and as guardian of the rights of Charles. When at last, after a month's delay, Eugene did reach the camp of the Allies, it was only to receive within a very few days a peremptory order of recall.

To explain this order it must here be noted, that a Diet had been convened at Frankfort for the election of an Emperor, and that to secure this election was now the paramount and ruling object of the House of Austria. Under such circumstances the movement of some French troops on the frontiers of Alsace excited apprehension. It was feared that there might be a design either to intimidate the Electors or interrupt the election. The Ministers at Vienna therefore sent most positive injunctions to Eugene, bidding him withdraw a main part of his army from Flanders to the Rhine, there to assume the command and to cover Frankfort, and indeed any part of the Empire, from attack.

Marlborough heard these tidings with a heavy heart, seeing how ill they boded for his own success in the campaign. But there was no choice. The two great chiefs and friends took leave of each other on the 14th of June; the last time they ever met in the field. Eugene repaired in the first instance to the Hague, to soothe the alarms of the Dutch; while Marlborough, still desirous to try the issue of a battle even with