p action, between a detachment of the French army
commanded by the count de Borgh, and a body of troops under count Merci,
who had passed the Rhine in order to penetrate into Franche-compte. The
Imperial officer was worsted in this encounter, with the loss of two
thousand men; obliged to repass the river, and retire to Fribourg. In
Piedmont, velt-mareschal Thaun commanded the confederates in the room of
the duke of Savoy, who refused to take the field until some differences,
which had arisen between the emperor and him, should be adjusted.
Thaun's design was to besiege Briancon; but the duke of Berwick had
taken such precautions as frustrated his intention, though part of
the troops under the French general were employed in suppressing an
insurrection of the Camisars, and other malcontents in the Vivaraz.
These were entirely defeated in a pitched battle; and Abraham, one
of their leaders, being taken, was broke alive upon the wheel;
three-and-twenty were hanged, and the other prisoners sent to the
galleys. The pope delayed acknowledging king Charles under various
pretences, in hopes that the campaign would prove favourable to the
house of Bourbon; till at length the emperor giving him to understand
that his army should take up their winter quarters in the ecclesiastical
state, his holiness solemnly owned Charles as king of Spain, Naples, and
Sicily.

CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN.

The military operations in Spain and Portugal were unfavourable to the
allies. On the seventh of May, the Portuguese and English were defeated
at Caya by the Spaniards, under the command of the mareschal de Bay. The
castle of Alicant, guarded by two English regiments, had been besieged,
and held out during a whole winter. At length the chevalier d'Asfeldt
ordered the rock to be undermined, and having lodged two hundred barrels
of gunpowder, gave Syburg the governor to understand, that two of his
officers might come out and see the condition of the works. This offer
being accepted, Asfeldt in person accompanied them to the mine: he told
them he could not bear the thoughts of seeing so many brave men perish
in the ruins of a place they had so gallantly defended, and allowed them
four-and-twenty hours to consider on the resolution they should take.
Syburg continued deaf to his remonstrances; and, with an obstinacy
that savoured more of stupidity than of valour, determined to stand the
explosion. When the sentinels that were posted on the side of the