the command in Spain upon
prince Eugene. The court of Vienna, however, did not comply with this
request, but sent thither count Staremberg, who, of all the German
generals, was next to the prince in military reputation. The commons now
proceeded to consider of ways and means, and actually established
funds for raising the supply, which amounted to the enormous sum of six
millions.

At this period Mr. Harley's character incurred suspicion, from the
treachery of William Gregg, an inferior clerk in his office, who was
detected in a correspondence with monsieur Chamillard, the French king's
minister. When his practices were detected he made an ample confession,
and pleading guilty to his indictment at the Old Bailey, was condemned
to death for high-treason. At the same time, John Bara and Alexander
Valiere were committed to Newgate for corresponding with the enemy;
and Claude Baud, secretary to the duke of Savoy's minister, was, at the
request of his master, apprehended for traitorous practices against her
majesty and her government. A committee of seven lords being appointed
to examine these delinquents, made a report to the house, which was
communicated to the queen, in an address, importing, that Gregg had
discovered secrets of state to the French minister: that Alexander
Valiere and John Bara had managed a correspondence with the governors
and commissaries of Calais and Boulogn; and, in all probability,
discovered to the enemy the stations of the British cruisers, the
strength of their convoys, and the times at which the merchant ships
proceeded on their voyages; that all the papers in the office of Mr.
Secretary Harley had been for a considerable time exposed to the view of
the meanest clerks, and that the perusal of all the letters to and from
the French prisoners had been chiefly trusted to Gregg, a person of a
very suspicious character, and known to be extremely indigent. The queen
granted a reprieve to this man, in hope of his making some important
discovery, but he really knew nothing of consequence to the nation. He
was an indigent Scot, who had been employed as a spy in his own country,
and now offered his services to Chamillard, with a view of being
rewarded for his treachery; but he was discovered before he had reaped
any fruits from his correspondence. As he had no secrets of importance
to impart, he was executed at Tyburn, where he delivered a paper to the
sheriff, in which he declared Mr Harley entirely ig