ered the palaces and
houses belonging to the opposite party.

CONFEDERACY AGAINST THE EMPEROR.

During these transactions, the French king concluded a treaty with Spain
and Sardinia, by which those powers agreed to declare war against the
emperor. Manifestoes were published reciprocally by all the contracting
powers. The duke of Berwick passed the Rhine in October, and undertook
the seige of fort Kehl, which in a few days was surrendered on
capitulation: then he repassed the river and returned to Versailles. The
king of Sardinia having declared war against the emperor, joined a
body of French forces commanded by mareschal de Villars, and drove the
Imperialists out of the Milanese. His Imperial majesty, dreading
the effects of such a powerful confederacy against him, offered to
compromise all differences with the crown of Spain, under the mediation
of the king of Great Britain; and Mr. Keene, the British minister at
Madrid, proposed an accommodation. Philip expressed his acknowledgments
to the king of England, declaring, however, that the emperor's advances
were too late, and that his own resolutions were already taken.
Nevertheless, he sent orders to the count de Montijo, his ambassador at
London, to communicate to his Britannic majesty the motives which had
induced him to take these resolutions. In the meantime he detached a
powerful armament to Italy, where they invested the Imperial fortress
of Aula, the garrison of which was obliged to surrender themselves
prisoners of war. The republic of Venice declared she would take no
share in the disputes of Italy; the states-general signed a neutrality
with the French king for the Austrian Netherlands, without consulting
the emperor or the king of Great Britain; and the English councils
seemed to be altogether pacific.

ARRIVAL OF THE PRINCE OF ORANGE.

In November the prince of Orange arrived at Greenwich, in order to
espouse the princess royal; but the marriage was postponed on account of
his being taken ill: and he repaired to Bath, in Somersetshire, to drink
the water for the recovery of his strength. Henrietta, the young
duchess of Marlborough, dying about this time, the title devolved to her
sister's son, the earl of Sunderland. Lord King resigning his office
of chancellor, it was conferred upon Mr. Talbot, solicitor-general,
together with the title of baron; a promotion that reflected honour
upon those by whom it was advised. He possessed the spirit of