"the Lines along the Trouille, poffeffed St. Ghislain, and put to flight, after a long and bloody Fight, "the Enemy's Army, which they had fo much re-inforced, having drain'd all their Garrifons for hindring that Siege, that it was the greatest and most formidable that ever was feen of regular Troops in the Netherlands, and most advantageously poited. By the taking of that Place, and the other Conquefts on the Lys and Deule, the great Towns in Brabant and Flanders are now entirely covered, ⚫ whereas their Protection has from time to time occafioned a world of Troubles, and frequently broke ' very important Projects: The Frontiers of this 'State, and the Provinces adjoining thereunto, are alfo by thofe Conquefts exempted from the Troubles of Incamping and Foraging of Armies, and 'the Allies being in a condition to open the Campaign on the Frontiers of the Enemy, the Operations of War will be carried on with more Facility and Expedition; while on the other hand, the E'nemies will be obliged to fubfift in their own Ter"ritories, and their Subjects will be expofed to the Inconveniencies of the Incamping and Foraging of great Armies, a Misfortune which others have fo long labour'd under. The Campaign being thus 'gloriously terminated, when the Autumn is almoft Ipent, and that Winter draws nigh apace, all care is to be taken for providing what the promoting of the Security of the State and its profperity does neceffarily require for the following Year 1710, and therefore the Council of State, according to their Duty, and the ancient Cuftom and Order of the Regency, having apply'd themselves to it with the Attention that the importance of the Matter, and the prefent circumftance of Affairs deferve, when 'your High Mightineffes, and your Allies, are ftill engag'd in a War against France, and her Adherents, have thought fit, that in prefenting to your High Mightineffes this General Petition, and the State of War, they ought to difcufs the following Articles: Firft, That it is at prefent neceflary to continue the War, in order fpeedily to obtain a General, Good and Secure Peace. Secondly, That all Strength and Power must be exerted to carry on the faid War, and obtain the end aforefaid: And,

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Thirdly,

Thirdly, The Confequences of those Efforts, and the general Foundations that may render Peace lafting and fecure.

That the War against France and her Adherents, ought to be continu'd and carried on in this prefent Juncture of Time, it will clearly appear, High and Mighty Lords, if People will call to mind to what purpose your High Mightineffes, and your Allies, were neceffitated to take up Arms, and begin the faid War, which was for no other end. than for your own Prefervation, the fecurity of the State, and the maintaining of the Liberty of Europe, againft the dangerous Confequences of the feizing of the Spanish Monarchy by France, (which can never be too much fear'd) and the Union and 'Confolidation of the Two Crowns in the House of Bourbon. It is notorious to all the World, as it has been more than once largely reprefented, that upon the death of Charles II. King of Spain, of "Glorious Memory, the French thought fit abruptly to break Treaties, and under colour of a pretended Teftament, did in an hoftile manner, and Armata Manu, put the Duke of Anjou, but in effect themfelves, into the poffeffion of the Kingdom of Spain, and of all the States and Territories left by the deceafed King in Italy, the Netherlands, and even in the Indies; while they made Difpofitions, by augmenting their Forces, and all other Preparations on their Frontiers, in fight of this State, to fecure by C Arms what they had ufurped in the manner aforefaid, without making any reasonable Proposals, or returning any fatisfactory Anfwer, to thofe that "were made for endeavouring to adjust in a Friendly way the Differences about the Succeffion of Spain, between the Emperor and France; and thereby to remove the Fears and Jealoufies that were juftly taken upon this Enterprize and Motions of the French. Your High Might ineffes, and your Allies, having very wifely confidered, that to fit ftill, and look upon this Proceeding of France, it would infallibly make a way for the eftablishment of the < Universal Monarchy of that Crown, and the ge'neral Slavery of Europe, and in particular of this State: Because the Experience of two preceding Wars having fhewn, that all the Allies, amongst

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whom Spain it felf was included, were hardly able < to counter-ballance the Power of France; and that the French put fo much confidence in their Strength, that they were perpetually feeking for Opportunities to enlarge their Frontiers, it could not be expected, with any colour of Reafon, that their Ambition could be restrained, and their farther Attempts hindered, whenever they fhould find themselves reinforced by the Acceffion of the Spanish Monarchy, and that the Two Crowns fhould become as one in procefs of Time. The Negociations for an amicable Accommodation being broke off, without any effect, as it has been hinted, there remained no other means to have recourfe to, than the neceffity of taking up Arms, for putting a ftop to fo preffing and dangerous an Evil, before Time made it incurable. The War was thereupon undertaken with the unanimous Confent and Approbation of all the Members of the Union, and notwithstanding the fame has been carried on with great Succels, yet the whole Kingdom of Spain, Catalonia, and Gibraltar excepted) the Indies, Sicily, and part of the Netherlands, are ftill at this time under the 'Power and Direction of the French: For notwithftanding the Duke of Anjou might have been confidered as a Prince, who, tho' come out of the Court of France, yet fitting on the Throne of Cafile, and other Spanish Kingdoms, might have follow'd different and independent Maxims of Government, it is neverthelefs certain and notoriously evi'dent by all Circumstances, that to this very Time, France has the fupreme Direction of the Affairs of Spain: That feveral Spaniards of Merit and Capacity, have been remov'd from Court, or confin'd Prifoners, for no other Reasons, but because they 'were fufpected by the French, and that no others have been maintained in, or promoted to Civil and Military Employments in that Court, but 'fuch as were wholly devoted to France: That their arbitrary way of Government has been introduced every where; that Spain is in effect, to this time, by means of a great Body of French Troop s, under a French Title and Government, and that in general the Affairs of the Duke of Anjou, for thefe nine Years paft, have been fo regulated, that they could

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not go on without the fupport of France; but, on the contrary, it appears on all occafions, without mentioning his Natural Byafs and Inclination for France, that he is obliged, upon Reafons and Interefts of State, to follow the Directions and Intentions of that Court; from whence it muft be concluded, that all the Power of Spain, which is now greater, and more formidable than it has been "under fome of their late Kings, and which certainly will grow every day more confiderable, if the "French continue to be Matters therein, ought not, nor cannot be confidered otherwife than actually contributing, and ferving to augment the Power of France, and efpecially their Treasure from the Indies, which being brought into France, does in an indifputable manner give a new Vigour and Strength to that Crown. It must be farther obferved, that the Spanish Harbours, which in refpect to the Trade and Navigation in the West-Indies, are not of a little importance, continue open to the French, and fhut up for the Allies, and the Commerce of the Product and Manufactures of Spain, of which that of Wooll is fo neceffary for the Manufactures of thefe Countries, is ftill forbidden to the Confederates. We fhall pafs by here the Reflections and Confiderations that might 'be made on Sicily, and how far that Kingdom, continuing under a French Regency, may be made ufe of in time for ftraitning and embarraffing the Trade of the Allies in the Mediterranean and Д'driatick Seas, and in the Levant.

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'In the next Place we are to examine, that it is neceffary to continue the War, and that for carrying on the fame, all Power and Strength muft be exerted, that the Succeffes already obtained, may be profecuted, and the great Defign of this War, that is, a general and fecure Peace fpeedily brought about and obtained. The Succeffes already obtained are very great, and in the first Place an effect of the Mercy and Bleffing of God, who has been pleafed to promote this State fince its Erection from fo low Circumftances, to fo much Glory and Reputation, and always fupported it, whenever it feem'd to be in an uncertain and tottering Condition, and has favour'd it with more glori

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cus Victories and Conquefts in the prefent War, even than in the preceding. Next to the Bleffing of the Almighty, thefe glorious Succeffes are the Confequences of the Efforts of your High Mightineffes, your Patience, Courage and Conftancy following in the defence of the Security and Liberty of the State, the glorious Steps of your Ancestors, * who for obtaining that Liberty and Security, have cheerfully undergone fuch Taxes, Loffes and Difafters, as could never have been supported without an extraordinary Firmnefs, Courage, and an un'fhaken Conftancy and Refolution. But feeing Affairs are not yet brought to fuch a Ballance, that your High Mightineffes, and your Allies, can find a fufficient Security therein, it will be of use, for the Illuftration of this important Point, to give a fummary Account of the Courfe of this War; and particularly to obferve, in what manner, and ' with how much Trouble, Treafure and Blood, the faid War has been hitherto carried on against fo powerful an Enemy as France: The Difficulties your High Might ineffes and your Allies have encountered, being more proper than any other Inftances taken out of Hiftories, to fhew what ought to be done for the future, in the prosecution of this 'Design.

During the Year following, immediately after the Death of King Charles II. they continued in these Parts in Peace, but in effect a Peace without Tranquillity, or rather a War without a Rupture, thro' the Motions on the Frontiers of Troops under the Name of Troops of the Circle of Burgundy, and 'other Auxiliaries; but in the Year 1702, when the War was declared, the beginning appeared very dangerous for fome Provinces of the State, because of the Designs and Enterprizes the Enemy formed 6 upon Nimeghen, and the Forts about Hulst, tho' the end of the Campaign proved very advantage⚫ous and fortunate, through the Reduction of Keyferfwaert, after an expenfive and bloody Siege, and the taking of feveral Towns and Places along the Maeze, as far as Liege, while the Troops of the Allies in Italy being brought to great ftreights by the fuperiority of the Enemy, were neceffitated ra{ther than abandon that Country, to hazard a de