704 
ENGLAND. 
pedifion, the troops were reimbarked ; and fir George 
Rooke, joined by fir Cloudefley, called a council of war, 
and refolved to make an attempt upon Gibraltar, then 
belonging to Spain. The prince of Hefie landed his 
troops, to the number of eighteen hundred, on the neck 
ot land adjoining, and fummoned the garrifon to furren- 
der, but without effect. Next day the admiral gave or¬ 
ders for cannonading the town; and perceiving that the 
enemy were driven from the fortifications at the South 
Mole, captain Whitaker was ordered to arm all the 
boats, and a (fault that quarter. Thofe officers who hap¬ 
pened to be neareft the Mole, immediately manned their 
boats without orders, and entered the fortifications fword 
in hand. But the Spaniards fprung a mine, by which 
two lieutenants, and about a hundred men, were killed 
find wounded. Neverthelefs, the two captains, Hicks 
and Jumper, took poffeftion of a platform, and kept their 
ground, until they were fuftained by captain Whitaker 
and the reft of the feamen, who took a redoubt between 
the Mole and the town by (form. Then the governor ca¬ 
pitulated, and the prince of Heffie entered the garrifon, 
amazed at the fuccefs of the attempt, confidering the 
(Length of the fortifications. Gibraltar has ever fince 
remained in the poffieftion of the Engliffi, and continues 
of the utmoft ufe for fheltering our fleets, or refitting any 
part of the navy dellined to annoy an enemy, or protect 
our trade, in the Mediterranean. 
Soon after the taking this important garrifon, the Eng- 
lifh fleet, confiding of fifty-three fliips of the line, came 
lip with a French fleet, to the number of fifty-two, com¬ 
manded by the count de Thouloufe, off the eoaft of Ma¬ 
laga. A little after ten in the morning the engagement 
began with equal fury on both Tides, and continued with 
doubtful fuccefs till two in the afternoon, when the van 
of the French gave way. For two fucceffive days the 
Englilh admiral endeavoured to renew the engagement, 
which the French fleet as cautioufly declined, and at laft 
difappeared totally. Both nations claimed the honour of 
the victory upon this occafion ; but the Englifh rode tri¬ 
umphantly on the ocean. In the mean time, Philip king 
of Spain, alarmed at the redudtion of Gibraltar, dil- 
patciied the marquis of Villadurias with a large army to 
retake it. France alfo fent a fleet of thirteen (hips of 
the line; but a part of this was difperfed by a tempeft, 
and part was taken by the Englifh. Nor was the land 
army more fuccefsful". The liege continued for four 
months, during which the prince of Heffie, who com¬ 
manded the garrifon for the Englifn, exhibited many 
proofs of valour. At length the Spaniards, having at¬ 
tempted to fcale the rock in vain, and finding no hopes 
of re-taking the place, abandoned the enterprife. 
While the Englifh were thus victorious by land and 
fea, a new fcene of contention was opened on the fide of 
Spain, where the ambition of the European princes ex¬ 
erted itfelf with the fame fury that had filled the reft of 
the continent. Philip, the fourth grandfon of LouisXIV. 
had been placed upon the throne of Spain, and had been 
received with the joyful concurrence of the people. 
He had alfo been nominated fucceffior to the crown by 
the late king of Spain’s will. But in a former treaty 
among the powers of Europe, Charles, Ton of the eriipe- 
ror of Germany, was appointed heir to that crown ; and 
this treaty had been guaranteed by France herfelf, though 
ihe now refolved to reverfe that confent in favour of a 
defcendant of the houfe of Bourbon. Charles was fur¬ 
ther led to put in his claim for the crown of Spain by the 
invitation ot the Catalonians, who declared in his favour, 
and by the affiftance of the Englilh and the Portuguefe, 
who promiled toarm in his caufe. Upon his way to Spain, 
he. landed in England, where he was received by the 
dukes of Somerfet and Marlborough, who conducted 
him to Windfor. The queen’s deportment to him was 
equally noble and obliging, while, on his fide, he gave 
general fatisfaCtion, by the politenefs and affability of 
his conduct. He was furnilhed with two hundred trunf. 
s 
ports, thirty (flips of war, and nine thoufand men, for 
the conqueft of that extenfive empire. The earl of Pe¬ 
terborough, a man of romantic bravery, offered to con- 
dud them ; and his Tingle fervice was thought equivalent 
to armies. \ 
The earl of Peterborough was one of the molt lingular 
and extraordinary men of the age in which lie lived. At 
the early age of fifteen he fought againft the Moors in 
Africa ; at twenty he affiffed in compaffing the revolu¬ 
tion ; and he now carried on the war in Spain aimed at 
his own expence ; bis friendfhip for Charles being one 
of his chief inducements to this great undertaking. He 
was deformed in his perfon ; but poffeffed a mind the 
moft generous, honourable, and active. His firft objeCt 
upon landing in Spain, was to reduce Barcelona, a ftrong 
city, with a garrifon of five thoufand men, while his own 
army amounted to little more than nine thoufand. The 
operations were begun upon Fort Monjuic, ftrongly fitu- 
ated on a hill that commanded the city. The out-works 
were taken by ftorm ; and a ftiell chancing to fall into 
the body of the fort, the powder magazine blew up. 
This (truck the garrifon with fuch confternation, that 
they furrendered without further refiftance. During the 
interval which was taken up in figning the negociations, 
a body of Germans and Catalonians belonging to the 
Englilh army entered the town, and were plundering all 
before them. The governor, who was treating with the 
Englifh general, thought himfelf betrayed ; upon which, 
lord Peterborough, (truck with the fuddennefs of the 
tranfaCfion, left the writings unfinilhed, and, flying among 
the plunderers, drove them from their prey, and returned 
calmly back, and figned the capitulation. The Spaniards 
were equally amazed at the generofiry of the Englifh, 
and the bafenefs of their ov/n countrymen, the- Catalo¬ 
nians, who had led on to the fpoil. The conqueft of all 
Valencia fucceeded to the taking of this important place.. 
The Engliffi, however, thought very little of thefe 
f idtories ; for their whole attention was taken up by the 
fplendour of their conquefts in Flanders ; and the duke 
of Marlborough took care (fill to engrofs their admira¬ 
tion and regard. He had early in the fpring opened the 
campaign, and brought an army of eighty thoufand men 
into the field. But (till he expected further reinforce¬ 
ments from Denmark and Pruffia; and the court of 
France very prudently refolved to attack him before this 
junction. Villeroy, who (till commanded the French 
army, confuting of eighty thoufand men, had orders to 
aft upon the defenfive ; but, whenever lie law an advan~ 
tage, to hazard an engagement. The duke, in the mean 
time, had received a (light repulfe by the defedtion of 
prince Louis of Baden ; and he refolved to retrieve his 
credit by fome fignal aCtion. Villeroy had drawn up his 
forces in a ftrong camp ; his right was flanked by the 
river Mehaighe, his left defended by a deep marffi, and 
the village of Ravnillies lay in the centre. Marlborough, 
who contemplated this difpofition, drew up his army ac¬ 
cordingly. He knew that the left wing of the enemy 
could not pafs the marffi to attack him but at a great dis¬ 
advantage ; he therefore weakened his force in that quar¬ 
ter, and attacked the centre with fuperior numbers. The 
enemy’s line was foon put into diforder by this judicious- 
movement, and gave way on all (ides. The liorfe, 
abandoning their foot, were fo clofely purfued, or unex¬ 
pectedly oppofed in their retreat, that almoft all of them 
were cut to pieces. Six thoufand were taken prifoners, 
and about eight thoufand were killed and wounded. 
This victory was almoft as fignal as that of Blenheim ; 
Bavaria and Cologne were the fruits of the one, and all 
Brabant was gained by the other. The French troops 
were difpirited; the city of Paris was in confufion. 
Louis, who had long been flattered with conqueft, was 
now humbled, and almoft: excited the companion of his 
enemies. He entreated for peace, but as yet in vain ; the 
allies carried all before them, and his.very capital trem¬ 
bled to the center at the expected approach of the con. 
querors. 
