d six battalions of Imperialists from the Austrian Netherlands.
The duke of Ormond sailed from Cadiz, and proceeded as far as Cape
Finisterre, where his fleet was dispersed and disabled by a violent
storm, which entirely defeated the purposed expedition. Two frigates,
however, arrived in Scotland, with the earls Marischal and Seaforth, the
marquis of Tullibardine, some field-officers, three hundred Spaniards,
and arms for two thousand men. They were joined by a small body of
Highlanders, and possessed themselves of Donan castle. Against these
adventurers general Wightman marched with a body of regular troops from
Inverness. They had taken possession of the pass at Glenshiel; but, at
the approach of the king's forces, retired to the pass at Strachell,
which they resolved to defend. They were attacked and driven from one
eminence to another till night, when the Highlanders dispersed; and next
day the Spaniards surrendered themselves prisoners of war. Marischal,
Seaforth, and Tullibardine, with some officers, retired to one of the
western isles, in order to wait an opportunity of being conveyed to the
continent.

ACCOUNT OF THE PEERAGE BILL.

On the last day of February the duke of Somerset represented, in the
house of lords, that the number of peers being very much increased,
especially since the union of the two kingdoms, it seemed absolutely
necessary to take effectual measures for preventing the inconveniences
that might attend the creation of a great number of peers to serve a
present purpose; an expedient which had been actually taken in the late
reign. He therefore moved that a bill should be brought in to settle
and limit the peerage, in such a manner that the number of English peers
should not be enlarged beyond six above the present number, which, upon
failure of male issue, might be supplied by new creations: that instead
of the sixteen elective peers from Scotland, twenty-five should be
made hereditary on the part of that kingdom; and that this number, upon
failure of heirs-male, should be supplied from the other members of the
Scottish peerage. This bill was intended as a restraint upon the prince
of Wales, who happened to be at variance with the present ministry.
The motion was supported by the duke of Argyle, now lord-steward of the
household, the earls of Sunderland and Carlisle. It was opposed by the
earl of Oxford, who said, that although he expected nothing from the
crown, he would never give his