garians were fleeced and barbarously oppressed by those to whom
he intrusted the government of their country. They derived courage from
despair. They seized this opportunity, when the emperor's forces were
divided, and his councils distracted, to exert themselves in defence of
their liberties. They ran to arms under the auspices of prince Ragotzki.
They demanded that their grievances should be redressed, and their
privileges restored. Their resentment was kept up by the emissaries of
France and Bwaria, who likewise encouraged them to persevere in their
revolt, by repeated promises of protection and assistance. The emperor's
prospect, however, was soon mended by two incidents of very great
consequence to his interest. The duke of Savoy foreseeing how much he
should be exposed to the mercy of the French king, should that monarch
become master of the Milanese, engaged in a secret negotiation with the
emperor, which, notwithstanding all his caution, was discovered by the
court of Versailles. Louis immediately ordered the duke of Vendome
to disarm the troops of Savoy that were in his army, to the number of
two-and-twenty thousand men; to insist upon the duke's putting him in
possession of four considerable fortresses; and demand that the number
of his troops should be reduced to the establishment stipulated in the
treaty of 1696. The duke, exasperated at these insults, ordered the
French ambassador, and several officers of the same nation, to be
arrested. Louis endeavoured to intimidate him by a menacing letter, in
which he gave him to understand that since neither religion, honour,
interest, nor alliances, had been able to influence his conduct, the
duke de Vendome should make known the intentions of the French monarch,
and allow him four-and-twenty hours to deliberate on the measures he
should pursue. This letter was answered by a manifesto: in the meantime
the duke concluded a treaty with the court of Vienna; acknowledged
the archduke Charles as king of Spain; and sent envoys to England and
Holland. Queen Anne, knowing his importance as well as his selfish
disposition, assured him of her friendship and assistance; and both she
and the states sent ambassadors to Turin. He was immediately joined by
a body of imperial horse under Visconti, and afterwards by count
Staremberg, at the head of fifteen thousand men, with whom that general
marched from the Modenese in the worst season of the year, through an
enemy's country, and roa