urnay; and of the Lys as far as it is navigable. They
had reduced Spanish Guelderland, Limburg, Brabant, Flanders, and the
greatest part of Hainault; they were masters of the Scarpe; and by the
conquest of Bouchain, they had opened to themselves a way into the very
bowels of France. All these acquisitions were owing to the valour and
conduct of the duke of Marlborough, who now returned to the Hague, and
arrived in England about the middle of November.

DUKE OF ARGYLE COMMANDS THE BRITISH TROOPS IN SPAIN.

The queen had conferred the command of her forces in Spain upon the
duke of Argyle, who was recalled from the service in Flanders for that
purpose. He had long been at variance with the duke of Marlborough; a
circumstance which recommended him the more strongly to the ministry.
He landed at Barcelona on the twenty-ninth of May, and found the British
troops in the utmost distress for want of subsistence. The treasurer had
promised to supply him liberally; the commons had granted one million
five hundred thousand pounds for that service. All their hopes of
success were fixed on the campaign in that kingdom; and indeed the army
commanded by the duke de Vendome was in such a wretched condition, that
if Staremberg had been properly supported by the allies, he might have
obtained signal advantages. The duke of Argyle, having waited in vain
for the promised remittances, was obliged, to borrow money on his
own credit, before the British troops could take the field. At length
Staremberg advanced towards the enemy, who attacked him at the pass of
Prato del Key, where they were repulsed with considerable damage. After
this action the duke of Argyle was seized with a violent fever, and
conveyed back to Barcelona. Vendome invested the castle of Cardona,
which was vigorously defended till the end of December, when a
detachment being sent to the relief of the place, defeated the
besiegers, killed two thousand on the spot, and took all their
artillery, ammunition, and baggage. Staremberg was unable to follow the
blow; the duke of Argyle wrote pressing letters to the ministry, and
loudly complained that he was altogether unsupported; but all his
remonstrances were ineffectual: no remittances arrived; and he returned
to England without having been able to attempt any thing of importance.
In September, king Charles, leaving his queen at Barcelona, set sail for
Italy, and at Milan had an interview with the duke of Savoy, where all