se and dragoons, and four battalions of regular troops,
with about three thousand militia, he marched to Molviedro, which was
surrendered to him by the governor, brigadier Mahoni. Between this
officer and the duke d'Arcos, the Spanish general, he excited such
jealousies by dint of artifices, not altogether justifiable even in war,
that the duke was more intent upon avoiding the supposed treachery of
Mahoni than upon interrupting the earl's march to Valencia, where the
inhabitants expressed uncommon marks of joy at his arrival. About this
period a very obstinate action happened at St. Istevan de Litera, where
the chevalier d'Asfeldt, with nine squadrons of horse and dragoons, and
as many battalions of French infantry, attacked colonel Wills at
the head of a small detachment; but this last being supported by
lieutenant-general Cunningham, who was mortally wounded in the
engagement, repulsed the enemy, though three times his number, with the
loss of four hundred men killed upon the spot. The troops on both sides
fought with the most desperate valour, keeping up their fire until the
muzzles of their pieces met, and charging each other at the point of
the bayonet. The only misfortune that attended the English arms in the
course of this year, was the capture of the Baltic fleet homeward-bound,
with their convoy of three ships of war, which were taken by the Dunkirk
squadron under the command of the count de St. Paul, though he himself
was killed in the engagement. When an account of this advantage was
communicated to the French king, he replied with a sigh, "Very well, I
wish the ships were safe again in any English port, provided the count
de St. Paul could be restored to life." After the death of the famous du
Bart, this officer was counted the best seaman in France.

NEW PARLIAMENT IN ENGLAND.

The kingdom of England was now wholly engrossed by the election of
members for the new parliament. The tories exerted themselves with great
industry, and propagated the cry of the church's being in danger; a cry
in which the Jacobites joined with great fervour; but, notwithstanding
all their efforts in words and writing, a majority of whigs was
returned; and now the lord Godolphin, who had hitherto maintained a
neutrality, thought proper openly to countenance that faction. By his
interest, co-operating with the influence of the duchess of Marlborough,
sir Nathan Wright was deprived of the great seal, which was committed to
Mr