ered by their sovereign, and resented his
economy; for he had endeavoured to retrench the expense of the court,
which had used to support their magnificence. Prince Eugene, at the head
of the Imperial army, had entered Italy by Vicenza, and passed the Adige
near Carpi, where he defeated a body of five thousand French forces. The
enemy were commanded by the duke of Savoy, assisted by mareschal Catinat
and the prince of Vaudemont, who did not think proper to hazard an
engagement; but mareschal Villeroy arriving in the latter end of August
with orders to attack the Imperialists, Catinat retired in disgust. The
new general marched immediately towards Chiari, where prince Eugene was
intrenched, and attacked his camp; but met with such a reception that
he was obliged to retire with the loss of five thousand men. Towards
the end of the campaign the prince took possession of all the Mantuan
territories, except Mantua itself, and Goito, the blockade of which he
formed. He reduced all the places on the Oglio, and continued in the
field during the whole winter, exhibiting repeated marks of the most
invincible courage, indefatigable vigilance, and extensive capacity
in the art of war. In January he had well nigh surprised Cremona, by
introducing a body of men through an old aqueduct. They forced one of
the gates, by which the prince and his followers entered; Villeroy,
being awakened by the noise, ran into the street where he was taken;
and the town must have been infallibly reduced, had prince Eugene been
joined by another body of troops which he had ordered to march from
the Parmesan and secure the bridge. These not arriving at the time
appointed, an Irish regiment in the French service took possession of
the bridge, and the prince was obliged to retire with his prisoner.

{WILLIAM, 1688-1701.}

SITUATION OF AFFAIRS IN EUROPE.

The French king, alarmed at the activity and military genius of the
Imperial general, sent a reinforcement to his army in Italy, and the
duke of Vendome to command his forces in that country; he likewise
importuned the duke of Savoy to assist him effectually; but that
prince having obtained all he could expect from France, became cold and
backward. His second daughter was by this time married to the new king
of Spain, who met her at Barcelona, where he found himself involved in
disputes with the states of Catalonia, who refused to pay a tax he had
imposed until their privileges should be confirmed;