ty protested against the investiture of the duchy of Saxe
Lawenburgh, claimed by the king of Great Britain; he had an interview
with general Seckendorf at Anspach; and was said to have privately
visited the emperor at Franckfort.

THE ENGLISH OBTAIN A VICTORY OVER THE FRENCH.

The troops which the king of Great Britain had assembled in the
Netherlands, began their march for the Rhine in the latter end of
February, and in May they encamped near Hoech on the river Maine, under
the command of the earl of Stair. This nobleman sent major-general Bland
to Franckfort, with a compliment to the emperor, assuring him, in the
name of his Britannic majesty, that the respect owing to his dignity
should not be violated, nor the place of his residence disturbed.
Notwithstanding this assurance, the emperor retired to Munich, though he
was afterwards compelled to return, by the success of the Austrians
in Bavaria. The French king, in order to prevent the junction of the
British forces with prince Charles of Lorraine, ordered the mareschal de
Noailles to assemble sixty thousand men upon the Maine; while Coigny
was sent into Alsace with a numerous army to defend that province, and
oppose prince Charles should he attempt to pass the Rhine. The mareschal
de Noailles, having secured the towns of Spire, Worms, and Oppenheim,
passed the Rhine in the beginning of June, and posted himself on the
east side of that river, above Franckfort. The earl of Stair advanced
towards him, and encamped at Killen-bach, between the river Maine and
the forest of d'Armstadt; from this situation he made a motion to
Aschaffenburgh, with a view to secure the navigation of the Upper
Maine; but he was anticipated by the enemy, who lay on the other side
of the river, and had taken possession of the posts above so as to
intercept all supplies. They were posted on the other side of the river,
opposite to the allies, whose camp they overlooked; and they found
means, by their parties and other precautions, to cut off the
communication by water between Franckfort and the confederates. The
duke of Cumberland had already come to make his first campaign, and his
majesty arrived in the camp on the ninth day of June. He found his
army, amounting to about forty thousand men, in danger of starving;
he received intelligence that a reinforcement of twelve thousand
Hanoverians and Hessians had reached Hanau; and he resolved to march
thither, both with a view to effect the jun