ing attacked by the Turks in the year 1715, the Cardinal, at the inftance of the Pope, fent a fquadron of men of war to their affiftance; which faved the island of Corfu; but the Venetians loft all the Morea.

The Spaniards having now increased their navy, and being uneafy at the difmembering their monarchy, Cardinal Alberoni, on pretence that the Emperor had forfeited his right to the Spanish dominions in Italy, by not delivering up Catalonia and the island of Majorca to King Philip, invaded and fubdued the island of Sardinia in 1717; and the next year invaded Sicily, and reduced the greatest part of that island. Whereupon the Emperor, Great Britain, France, and Holland, entered into a confederacy against Spain, which was called the Quadruple Alliance; and the English admiral, Sir George Byng, was fent into the Mediterranean with a strong fquadron, to prevent the entire lofs of that island.

The admiral coming up with the Spanish fleet in the strait of Meffina, July 1718, took eleven and burnt fix of their men of war. He alfo tranfported a body of Germans to Sicily, to oppofe the Spanish general the Marquis De Lede; and feveral fmart engagements happened there between the Germans and the Spaniards.

In the mean time the French invaded Spain on the fide of Guipufcoa, took Port Paffage, and burnt feveral Spanith men of war; they afterwards took Fontarabia and St Sebaftians, and reduced the whole province of Guipufcoa. The British forces, commanded by Lord Cobham, alfo made a descent into Spain, took and plundered Vigo, and then reimbarked. On the other hand, the Spaniards imbarked 300 men under the command of the Earl of Seafort, who landed in Scotland, and was joined by two or three thousand Highlanders; but they were defeated in June 1719 by General Wightman, and most of the Spaniards made prisoners of war.

The French were induced to enter into this war with Spain, it is faid, by a project Cardinal Alberoni had formed, in concert with the French nobility, to deprive the Duke of Orleans of the regency, and defeat his expectations of fucceeding to the throne of France, in favour of King Philip but however that was, King Philip finding himself anable to refift fo potent a confederacy, entered into a treaty with the Allies; confented to evacuate Sicily and Sardinia and Sicily was thereupon allotted to the Emperor, and the late King of Sicily made King of Sardinia; and the French restored to Spain all their acquifitions in Guipufcoa. Cardinal Alberoni, who had been the occafion of this war, was foon after difgraced, and obliged to return to Italy.

:

The French King being a child of a weakly conftitution, on whofe death, without iffue, the Duke of Orleans was to have fucceeded to that crown, the Duke thought fit to marry him to the Infanta Maria, eldeft daughter to the King of Spain, then in the fourth year of her age, from whom no iffue could be expected in many years. The regent alfo married his own daughter, Madamoifelle de Montpenfier, to the Prince of Afturias, the King of Spain's eldest fon; and the was fent to the court of Spain. At the fame time the Infanta came to refide in France, where the bore the title of Queen for fome time; but the regent dying in 1723, the French began to think of fending back the

Infanta

Infanta Queen, and marrying their King to fome princess from whom they might hope for iffue.

In the mean time, (viz. January 16. 1722), Philip King of Spain thought fit to abdicate his throne in favour of his eldelt fon Lewis, who was accordingly proclaimed King at Madrid. But the young King dying of the fmall pox in Auguft following, Philip was prevailed on to re-afcend the throne.

The fame year the French miniftry fent back the Infanta Queen to Spain, and married their King to the Princefs Leziniki, daughter of Stanislaus, once King of Poland; at which the Spaniards being incenied, the Baron Riperda, then prime minifter at the court of Spain, and for merly ambaffador from the States-General, negotiated a feparate peace with the Emperor. Whereupon the congrefs, that had been held at Cambray, chiefly to adjust matters between the courts of Vienna and Spain, broke up. The Emperor was induced to enter into a treaty with Spain, (which obtained the name of the Vienna treaty), by the endeavours which had been used by the maritime powers to fupprefs the Eaft-India company he had erected at Oitend. By this treaty it was ftipulated, That France and Spain thould never be united under one head; that Philip fhould renounce all pretenfions to Sicily, Naples, Milan, and the Netherlands; that Don Carlos, the Queen of Spain's eldest fon, fhould fucceed to Tuscany, Parma, and Placentia, on the death of the reigning Dukes without iffue; that Leghorn fhould remain a free port, and Sardinia be confirmed, with the title of King, to the houfe of Savoy: and the Emperor relinquifhed all pretentions to the Spanish territories in the poffeffion of Philip. A treaty of commerce alfo was concluded between the parties, whereby it was agreed to fupport the Oftend Eaft-India company, who were permitted to tell the product of India in the ports of Spain.

In oppofition to the Vienna treaty, Great Britain, France, and Pruffia, concluded another at Hanover; whereby they guaranteed each other's dominions, with their rights and privileges in traffic; to which the Dutch acceded with abundance of reftrictions; whereupon the King of Pruflia withdrew, declaring that he would not be bound by it.

Baron Riperda, who had concluded the Vienna treaty, on his return from thence was created a Duke; but his adminiftration not being approved by the grandees, whofe refentment he dreaded, he refigned his post of prime minister, and took refuge in the house of Mr Stanhope, the British ambassador at Madrid, from whence he was taken, and imprifoned, but found means to escape. The Emperor proceeded to prohibit all British merchandife to be imported into Sicily, or any other part of his dominions. And his ally the King of Spain, infifting on a promife from the King of England for restoring Gibraltar, on his acceding to the Quadruple alliance, laid fiege to that fortrefs: whereupon the court of Great Britain commanded Admiral Hofier to block up Porto Bello with a fquadron of men of war, and ordered another fquadron to lie upon the coaft of Old Spain, to prevent the galleons returning to Europe; which they were not, however, able to do, Admiral Caftagnetta, with twenty fail, getting into Cadiz about this time; and as for thofe at Porto Bello, they thought fit to unlade their treafure, and fecure it on fhore. In the mean time Admiral Hofier died in that unhealthy climate, and his men were fo fickly, that the fleet was forced to be remanned from Jamaica; the

hips were worm-eaten, and rendered unfit for fervice; and the Britifh trade fuffered greatly in that part of the world. A treaty of pacification between Great Britain, the Emperor, and Spain, being fet on foot in the year 1727, it was agreed, that the fiege of Gibraltar fhould be raised, that the Ottend trade to India fhould be fuipended, and that the British fquadrons should return from Porto Bello, and the coafts of Old Spain.

By a fubfequent treaty between Great Britain, France, and Spain, in 1729, Great Britain engaged to furnish the Spaniards with a fquadron of men of war and land-forces, to convoy Don Carlos and 6000 Spaniards to Italy, to fecure the eventual fucceffion of that prince to the duchies of Tufcany, Parma, and Placentia, and to pay a certain fum for the fhips which Admiral Byng deftroyed; and Spain agreed, that Great Britain fhould have fatisfaction for the depredations of the Spaniards in America; and a congrefs was appointed to be held at Soiffons, to accommodate fuch differences as remained.

In the mean time, a marriage was agreed upon between Ferdinand Prince of the Afturias and the Infanta of Portugal; and another between the Prince of Brazil and Mary the Infanta of Spain, who had been contracted in marriage with Lewis XV. of France.

The Emperor being greatly alarmed at that article in the treaty of Seville, for introducing Spanish forces into Italy, protested against it, forefceing that this would endanger the lofs of all his Italian dominions; and marched a good body of troops into Italy to guard against this fatal measure; whereby the execution of it was fufpended for a year or two; but the British fleet, commanded by Sir Charles Wager, with land-forces on board, joined that of Spain in the year 1731, convoyed the 6000 Spaniards to Leghorn, which the Emperor feemed to confent to, upon the maritime powers guaranteeing to him the poffeffion of his Italian dominions. Which flood him in little ftead, as appeared two years after: For Auguftus King of Poland dying in the year 1733, and Staniflaus, father-in-law to the King of France, becoming a candidate for that crown, which he had formerly poffeffed, and the French King efpoufing his intereft, he was oppofed by the Elector of Saxony, fupported by the united intereft of the courts of Vienna and Ruffia, who fixed the Elector, Auguftus the Third, upon the throne of Poland; which the French King pretended was fuch an affront and injury to him, that making an alliance with Spain and Sardinia, he invaded the German dominions in Italy, carried the war into Germany, and took Philipfburg, where the Duke of Berwick was killed in the trenches.

After feveral battles between the Allies and the Imperial forces in Italy, the Emperor was driven out of all his Italian dominions, except Mantua. He fent memorial after memorial to the maritime powers, that had guaranteed thefe dominions to him; but they contented themfelves with offering their mediation, and did not think fit to concern themselves further in his quarrel. Whereupon the Emperor was compelled to confirm Naples and Sicily to Don Carlos, who had already taken poffeffion of them, and been proclaimed King, on condition that the Allies fhould reftore the Milanefe and Mantua, and cede Parma and Placentia to the Emperor. And it was further agreed, That the Duke of Lorrain fhould make a ceffion of that duchy to King Stanislaus, which

on his death fhould be united to the crown of France; and that, in lieu of it, the Duke of Lorrain fhould enjoy the duchy of Tuscany.

The Spaniards continuing to fearch and plunder the British fhips in America, and feize the effects of the South-Sea company on that fide, heavy complaints were made to the court of Spain on these heads, which feemed to confent, that fatisfaction fhould be made for all unjust captures, it being made abundantly evident, that the Spaniards had taken and condemned a great many British fhips that had never attempted to trade with Spanish America. Whereupon commiffaries were nominated to adjust the loffes on both fides; the English demand being reduced by them to L. 200,000, whereof L. 60,000 was deducted for the Spanish men of war deftroyed by Admiral Byng, pursuant to an article in the treaty of Seville; by which, and other abatements, the demand of the English was reduced to L. 95,000, and though L. 68,000 was acknowledged to be due to the South-Sea company, on account of the feizures the Spaniards had made of their effects, yet the Spaniards pretended a much greater fum was due to them from the company, which they infifted fhould be deducted out of the balance that appeared due to England; to which the English commiffaries agreed, and figned a convention to that purpose in January 1738-39, leaving the affair of vifiting and feizing the merchant-fhips of England to future conferences. Which treaty the court of Great Britain ratified; and it was ap proved of in the houfe of Commons, by a majority of 28 voices; but the Spaniards neglecting to pay the L. 95,000 at the time appointed, and the merchants of England in general petitioning against the convention, the court was compelled, in a manner, to enter into a war with Spain, which was begun by granting letters of marque, in order to make reprifals for the loffes the merchants had fuftained; and, on the 23d of October following, war was declared against Spain.

In the profecution whereof, without reckoning the fmall trading ships Joft on either fide, the Spaniards fuffered at least twelve millions SterHing lofs in capital prizes and men of war; and a peace being concluded in 1748, it was agreed by a fubfequent treaty in 1750, That his Catholic Majefty fhould pay to the South-Sea company L 100,000. And, to prevent any illicit trade, and all difputes arifing therefrom, the company's right of fending their annual galleon fhould entirely ceafe and determine.

During this war, viz. 29th June 1746, died Philip V. King of Spain, and was fucceeded by his eldest fon Ferdinand.

The Spanish fortrefs of Ceuta, upon the Barbary coaft, having been long blockaded by the Moors, the garrifon made a fally December 17. 1753, and obtained a complete victory over the Moorish army.

Auguft 10. 1759, died Ferdinand VI. King of Spain, having never perfectly recovered from a ftate of melancholy he had been thrown into by the death of his queen, who had died Auguft 27. 1758.

He was fucceeded by his brother Don Carlos, then King of the Two Sicilies, who, on the 17th of October, arrived at Barcelona with his whole family, except his third fon, whom he had left at Naples as his fucceffor in that kingdom. But his queen did not long furvive her new dignity, the having died at Madrid 27th September 1760.

This King, now called Charles III. feemed for fome time refolved to obferve the pacific maxims of his predeceffor; but foon after the beginning of 1761, he was drawn into a correfpondence with the court

of

of Versailles, which ended in a family-convention, concluded 15th Auguit, and ratified 8th September 1761, containing a mutual defensive alliance, and a réciprocal guaranty of all the dominions they fhould be poffeffed of at the next peace, among all the four branches of the house of Bourbon, and none other to be admitted; and the fubjects of all to enjoy the fame privileges as the natives in their refpective dominions.

The confequence was a war between Great Britain and Spain, which was declared by the former January 2. 1762, and by the latter on the 18th.

For the memorable events of this war, fee thofe of Portugal and England.

Prefent fate of Spain.] The Spaniards have parted with almost all their European dominions out of Spain, particularly Burgundy, and the Netherlands, Milanefe, Naples, Sicily, and Sardinia: but as the princes of the houfe of Bourbon poffefs France, Spain, the Sicilies, and Parma, the interests of Spain and France feem to be fo firmly united, that they will probably join against any other power in Europe, whenever either of them are attacked: I look upon Spain therefore to be much more formidable at prefent, than it was before the Duke of Anjou mounted the throne. We find France took this kingdom under its protection in the laft war, and thus united, they appeared an overmatch for all the Allies at land, though they were no match for England alone at fea. And as France is the great fupport of Spain, no doubt they will make the French fome return, by favouring their traffic with Spanish Amerita. Alliances are never more firmly established than when it is the intereft of both the contracting parties to obferve the terms they have agreed on.

Nor is the alliance of France the only benefit arifing from Spain's having a prince of French extraction on the throne. The court of Spain have confiderably improved their revenues, and increafed their forces by fea and land, fince that event; the people are encouraged to apply themselves to manufactures and husbandry, and to thake off that idle and heavy difpofition, which has rendered them fo contemptible in the eyes of other nations; and they may probably, in a few years, make a more confiderable figure in Europe, than they did under their native princes; and it is not at all improbable, that Spain fhould, on fome pretence or other, hereafter add Portugal to her dominions again, fince France will scarce ever make a diverfion in favour of that kingdom, as it ufed to do when Portugal was invaded by Spain. No nation befides France can protect Portugal against Spain, except Britain with its fleet; and thould Portugal be reduced by the Spaniards, it will probably greatly affect the British traffic. From the junction of the Spanish and French fleets-which are now increafing, we have a❤❤ great deal to apprehend. I should have remembered, that the Spaniards are till masters of Oran, Ceuta, and fome other places in Africa, and are perpetually at war with the Algerines, and the rest of the powers on the coaft of Barbary, which make frequent defcents on the coafts of Spain, and carry whole villages into captivity, as well as plunder all the defenceles fhips they meet with at sea of that nation.

PORTUGAL.