I have received yours dated at London the 24. of August old stile; in which you de­sire an account of the present Action at Mastricht, and also of what hath past since the time of his Highness the Prince of O­range his laying siege to that Place.

Your Commands therein I am very ready to comply with, though not so well able to undertake such a Task as are Others here of your acquaintance, who have better information than I have: besides I know I shall run the hazard of being censured by Some, who are not onely ungrate­full, but malitiously unjust in their reports of the Actions of our Nation, endeavouring to rob them of that honour they fo dearly bought; yet such as those are I value not, being assured that his Highness the Prince of Orange, and Others who have been Eye-witnesses of their brave Actions, will rather confirm and countenance the truths I shall speak of them, then depress them: [Page 2] I will therefore give your Hon ^r. such a brief accompt as hath been writt me by severall Persons of Worth, Some of them sealing the truth thereof with their blouds, many of them being since dead of their wounds.

I will not give your Hon ^r. the trouble of describing the Citie of Mastricht, and the fortifications thereof, because that alone might fill up this sheet, and many more: I shall onely name the 7. detached Bastions which are the Out-works of the Town; the first is Le Roy, then La Reine, le Dolphin, Monmouth, Condé, Turin, and Crequi: they of this Garrison of Mastricht were reported to be at the beginning of the Siege 4500 Foot, 2000 Horse, 500 Dragooners, beside Granadiers, and Others belonging to the Train of Artillery: the Governour of Mastricht is Marshal Le Estrade, at this time employed at the Congress in Nimwegen as one of the Plenipotentiaries from the French King; In his place is now Governour Don Calvo a Cata­lonian born, a Man of great Valour and as grand Experien­ces, as doth appear by his brave defence of the Place.

On the latter end of Iune, his Highness the Prince of Orange, with several detached Regiments out of the Armie in Flanders, with other Regiments out of the Boss, Bergen op zoom, and other Garrisons marched for Mastricht, where they met with a Camp volant under the Conduct of the Prince of Ossenbrugh, amongst which were some Troops from the Duke of Branden­burgh and other Allies, all which forces, being modestly counted, were 24000 or 26000 Men.

Upon the First of Iuly his Highness the Prince of Orange hav­ing held a grand Council of Warr, set down before Mastricht: where He gave out orders for making the Lines of Circum­vallation and Communication about the Town, at the same time posting every Regiment, and Battaillon where they should encamp; the next thing done, was his Highnesses proclaiming the States Order or Placate for a free Leaguer, that is, that [Page 3] neither Buyer nor Seller was to pay any tax or excise; this caused Provisions to be very cheap, and great plenty of all things needfull for the Leaguer. The next day following came to the Leaguer many thousand Bores from all parts to work in the Trenches.

This Day the three English Colonels, Colonel Fenwick, Col. Widdrington, and Colonel Astley made a Request unto his Highness, the Prince of Orange, therein desiring that the English might be encamp'd together, and that they might be commanded on service alone; that, in case they did well, they might have the honour due to them, and on the contrary, if ill, that then they might bear their shame; but they were not willing to bear the faults of others; this Request of theirs was granted by his Highness, with all imaginable Kindness, and as an honour and Esteem his Highness had for the Nation, they were posted next his Highnesses own Guards on the Boss-port-side, giving the chief Command of the English unto the Valiant Col. Fenwick as being eldest Colonel: The 3. English Regiments were rec­koned to be 2500 Men on their March to Mastricht, beside 150 or thereabouts which came to the Regiments from the Boss and other Places, so that the 3. Regiments were effective Men 2600, beside some Volunteers and Reformed Officers. Now were all hands at work in making the Lines of Circum­vallation and Communication: The Garrison at the same time was not idle, who fell out in Parties, defending their people who were grazing their Cattel under the works of the Town: Here began the sport between the Garrison and the Leaguer; for both sides sent out their Skirmishers a pickeering; the next day his Highness planted some Field-pieces, which played upon those that were grazing their Cattel under the works; at the same time the Enemies in the Town plaid their Cannon on the Skirmishers from the Princes Leaguer, so that it resembled a small Battel, for that there were Foot and Horse from both [Page 4] Parties sighting, and the Cannon playing on each other at the same time: In this days Action Major Archer Major to Col. Fenwick a Man of great knowledge in fortification and of a clear Courage pickeering against the Enemie, boldly adventuring to view the Works of the Town, and to discover the Enemies posture, was shot through and through the body with a brace of bullets, yet brought off with him a French-Man prisoner, some say, 2. French-Men: The next day the French begun to be quiet, having lost in this days Action severall Men, and being much gall'd by the Field-pieces; so that they came out no more with their Cattel to graze, but kept close in their Works, and for 2. days were very still, shooting their Cannon very seldom on the Princes Leaguer.

And here I am to let you know of a great misfortune which hindred the Prince of Orange in his designs against the Town, occasioned by the want of Water in the River Mase, for all the great Cannon that were to be battering Cannon against the Town, and the greatest part of the Train of Artillerie were all stopt upon the River for many days for want of Water to carry up the ships or boats; this gave the French occasion to make a Ball in the Town for the Ladies, and to say that the States Cannon were in the Lumber. On the 17 ^th. day of this Moneth the Guns and Train of Artillerie arrived at the Leaguer, and the same day his Highness ordered 4. Batteries to be made, one of 14 Guns, and one of 8, one of 6, and one of 4. the next day being the 18 ^th. his Highness commanded the opening of the Trenches, that is, to break ground for the making of an approach to the Enemies Works; and the Honour of this was given to the Rhine-Grave, who took with him Cap ^t. Lee, Cap ^t. Macullicot and other English Volunteers, and with the Princes Guards, began to break ground: the English Regiments succouring the Guards, who made so bold, and so prosperous advance, that they lodged themselvs that night so near the [Page 5] Dolphin-Bastion, that the small shott from the Enemies works kill'd many of the English, and the great shott fell in the En­glish Quarter so fast, that that night Cap: Sabin, sleeping in Major Downings Tent, had his head beaten off with a Cannon­bullet; and a Sutlers Wife, drawing beer, had both her legs shot off; and because one of the Cannon bullets came into Col. Fenwicks Kitchin where his French Cook was dressing supper, the Monsieur presently left his Coockery, and hastned to the Hague, declaring that his bargain was with Col. Fenwick, not to come near the Cannon-shot.

At this time his Highness the Prince of Orange behaved him­self to a Miracle, adventuring himself in places of the greatest dangers, and, as a mark of Honour, that night received a shot, which pierced his cloaths on the Arm, but entred not his skin; and at this time the Valiant Rhine-Grave received also a wound.

On the 29 ^th. it was resolved, that the English should have the honour to attacque the Dolphin-Bastion, and thereupon his Highness came to the English, and encouraged them, giving to each Company an Ox and 2 Sheep.

And here I should say somthing as to the Gallantry & Cou­rage of our Nation: but, because I am an Englishman, I shall forbear; and onely relate the matter of fact, as it was performed upon their going on to do service: All things being prepared, and the English drawn out, The first that adventured on the Bastion were 2. Serjeants named Powel & Pinder, 2. bold Britains; These two with their Halbards at the head of the snap-hanses fought hand to hand with the French upon the mounting of the Bastion; at last the English pusht so hard, that the French ran, and the English were possessed of the Bastion.

And here I am to describe unto you the Nature and form of the Bastion: This Dolphin Bastion is pointed from the Town, [Page 6] and the broad side of the Bastion next the Town had onely a thin wall, on purpose so made, that the Town might on all occasions beat down that wall, and lay the Bastion open to the Town, that thereby their Cannon might shoot into the Bastion; and thus it fell out, for as soon as Our Nation was in the Bastion, they showred shott on that Wall, and presently made a breach, that the English stood open to their guns: whereas the Ingeneers that were with the English should have taken care to have raised Works on that side, that the English might have been hid from the shott: All these misfortunes or miscarriages in those that had the Command of the Ingeneers, did not daunt the English, for they stood their Ground, and kept possession for an hour and a quarter; all this while no relief came, so that the English were grown very weary and fatigated: In the mean time an English Colonell prayed that the English might be relieved by English out of the Trenches; to which was replyed, that the English had done bravely, and that the Guards should reliev them; and accordingly the Princes Granadeers of the Guards began to enter the Bastion, and were all in the Bastion, and the English commanded out: The French, seeing the Red-Coats marching out, sallied out with foot and horse, and attacqued the Bastion, and made a great slaughter amongst the Dutch, and also amongst the English who were in great disorder marching out, not well under­standing the reason of the Dutches coming to reliev them, and not English, as was expected: and to contribute to this mis­fortune, at this very time there hapned fire to be in the powder of one of the Prince of Oranges batteries not farr from this Bastion, which gave a terrible blow, in which were burnt and blown up 70 or 80 people, which accident struk a Panick sear in Some, that that was a Mine that sprung by the French, & that the next would be a Mine where they were: this made them retreat in disorder, leaving the Bastion in possession of the French.

[Page 7] The next day the Princes Guards with other Regiments were commanded to attack this Bastion, who received such a repulse that they lost their labour, and 3. Captains of the Guards and se­veral other Officers.

At this time the nights were dark, and therefore the Governour of Mastricht caused Lamps of pitch and tar to be hung round the Walls and Pallisadoes of the Town, that thereby they might discover the Enemy if they drew near the works, shooting all the whole night their great Guns, and showring small shott out of the Counterscharp, so that many of the Princes Leaguer were every night shot by chain-Shott; and these were answered by the Princes Batteries which were many, who continued shooting day and night, onely giving time for the cooling their guns. The next day, being the 4. ^th of August, the English were ordered to attack the Bastion retaken by the French, as you have heard: A Copy of which Disposition for the Attacque thereof, I here recite, word for word, as near as I can translate it, from the Princes Orders.

These Detachments being made, Capt. Barnwell, Eldest Capt. to Col. Fenwicks Regiment, who commanded then as Major in the place of Major Archer (who before was shot through and through with a brace of bullets) had the Honour to command in chief this Disposition.

And here I cannot omit saying somthing of this brave Capt. Barnwell, who without doubt behaved himself to a miracle, who marched out on the head of his men with a white Feather in his hat, encouraging his men, and telling them, that they were to remember they were English men, and that their Enemies were French, who never yet could make Englishmen run; and then with a shout, Fall on brave Boys, he mounted the Bastion, where they fought hand to hand, at the head of the Trenches, with in a little half quarter of an hour, the French gave way, Capt. Barnwell ran up to the Officer that commanded the Switsers, crying out to his men, they run, they run, and then bravely kil'd the Swits-Officer; at the same time Capt. Barnwell received severall shotts, besides other wounds of which he died, sealing this Victory and possession of the Bastion with his Life: thus Being possest of the Bastion, the next English Officer that was commanded on the Bastion was Capt. Phil. Savage, a man of known courage, who marched in with his men without much trouble, and being there some time, he got the Ingeniers Servant to help him to find the Mine or Mines of this Bastion; the which Capt. Savage found, and there with a Lanthorn and [Page 10] an Ingenier, he went round the whole Bastion, but could not find any door of Communication from the Town, therefore they thought themselvs safe: in the mean time the English, having set their Centries, began to remove the dead bodies, which lay so thick in the Bastion, that they could not walk, or stirr up and down therein: whilst the English were busy about this work, The French took their opportunity of seeing one of the Centries either asleep or off from his post; & thereupon They first sprang a Mine, and then entred the Bastion, armed with back, breast, and head-pieces, and Sithes in their hands, cry­ing tué tué: then Capt. Stone, Capt. Widdrington, Capt. Cra [...]ne, Capt. Middelton and Capt. Hales, Captains in the Scotch Regi­ment under Col. Collier, with 2. other Captains of Col. Kilpa­tricks' Regiment of Scots, coming in to the assistance of the English in the Bastion, were all blown up, and wounded, the French then springing a great Mine in the middle of the Bastion, which was terrible to see and hear; for the whole Bastion, seem­eed to be one flame; A very dreadfull sight and noise! when the bodies and pieces of men fell down in to the Bastion, some without heads some without legs and arms, others their flesh burnt on their legs and other parts: At this time was kild Capt. Crane, & Capt. Stone shot in the breast, and out at the shoulder, and his leg broke with a plank of wood; Capt. Sa­vage, Capt. Widderington, Capt. Hales and others sticking in the ground in several postures, Some buried in Earth up to the mid­dle, Others to the shoulders, all wounded and burnt, yet alive.

At this time the French got the possession of the Bastion, for a small time, cutting and killing the English they found alive; whereupon Capt. Savage speaking French, called out to an Offi­cer, and passed a Complement on the Monsieur, that they were the brave French, and therefore would not kill them after they had demanded Quarter, telling the French Officer that He and the Others there were Capt. and therefore prayed a Safe-guard from [Page 11] being kild by the French Souldjers; to which the Officier replyed that the would take care of them presently; so sent a Serjeant with a Centrie or two to preserve them from being kild outright, but first they puld of their Corslets, and took off their rings, and what they could come at that was not in the earth buried: but this safety lasted but a small time; for so soon as the French saw fresh forces coming out of the Approaches to relieve the Bastion, they (the French) fell a cutting the Prisoners again, and crying out tuè, tué tout; but the relief came on so fast out of the Approaches, that the French quitted the Bastion: Now, the Bastion being again possessed, the Ingeniers and Pioniers having placed their baskets, and thrown up some earth to hide them from the Guns of the Town, which before laid so open, that on the walls of the Coun­terscherp they might look into the Bastion, and fire into it as they pleased; Now, I say, was it time to dig out the Captains and Others which were alive; though some of them died immediate­ly, when they were stirr'd: But Capt. Savage who had eleven wounds, Capt. Stone, Capt. Widdrington, Capt. Hales, and Capt. Middleton, though very much burnt and wounded, are alive, and in a fair way of being fit for service within a little time: But Capt. Crane, and 3 Scotch Officers, with 5 Dutch Officers are dead of their wounds.

And here give me leave to say somthing of the gallantry and bra­very of a Frenchman; who, though an Enemy, yet ought to have the honour he merits as his due; which was this, namely, accord­ing to the very words written me by a Sober & Valiant English Officer, who was in this Action, That ‘He shall never forget how he saw a Captain of the French jump through the flames to get into the Bastion; which Officer He found afterwards dead just without the breach, as he conceived, stifled with the flame; for it was there where the fire was so violently flaming out of the Mine.’

Thus the Bastion was recovered, though with great difficulty, [Page 12] loss of many men, much occasioned by the neglect of Some who promised that the Sally port of the Bastion should be broken down, that the English might retreat into the Approches upon all occasions, and also relieve the Bastion without exposing them­selvs under the Enemies Guns, by going round about, or else climbing over the works: which caused great complaint.

The next day, the English being at their quarters, the 3 English Colonels ordered great care to be taken for the sick and wounded; and then took a vieuw of what number of men they had able to be commanded on duty, the which appeared to be but 300. in each Regiment: yet the English relieved the Approaches constantly every time it came to their turns, not being absent from Action when occasion required: besides that Several of the English Vo­luntiers went constantly on service with the Rhijn-Grave, as did Capt. Lee and Capt. Mackullicott, the one of them being kill'd and the other desperately wounded in companie and service with the Rhijne-Grave: the former whereof viz. Capt. Lee behaved him­self to that degree, that had he lived he would have had great pre­ferment in the service of the States. Now because I have named the brave Actions of Some of the Officers of Our Nation, you may expect I should speak somthing of Every one of them killd and wounded; but truly that is a thing impossible to do in this Letter; That being subject enough for a far larger Discourse and to fill a Volumn: Besides that my Letters from them in the Leaguer give me ordinarily but an account of such a Captain or such an Officer kill'd or wounded; a List whereof I shall set down at the end of this Letter, which will appear to be a prodigious number out of such a handfull of English and 2. Scottish Regiments.

And now, sith All Gazets and Courants are full of the brave Actions of his Highness the Prince of Orange, the Rhyn-Grave, Lord of Owerkerk, Grave Solms, & Others, Give me leave to say somwhat of them; which yet will fall very short [Page 13] of what they merit from the best of pens: As to his Highness, He hath so behaved himself, like a Prince of his quality and command, that he hath out-don a wonder, ventured and la­boured so in the Batteries and Approaches, and hath been so many nights on horsback till the next day following at 9. a clock, that many wondered how his Highness could en­endure such a fatigue. And The Rhyn-Grave doth not deserv less praise, who hath received to this day 5 wounds, and each at severall times, and Grave Solms and the Heer Owerkerk have don very well, the latter of which did a brave and unparaleld action at the head of a party of the Life Guard, that he com­manded out against the French Horse, that over powred a partie of the Princes Leaguer, which the French sallyed out upon: And I ought not to forget Valiant Col. Colliers who as Adjutant-Ge­neral and also Colonel of a Scotch Regiment hath don very bravely in every place where he commanded.

And now I have been speaking of the Dutch, I must also say som­thing of the Forces Quartered on the other side of the Mase on the Wyck side, under the Command of the wise and vali­ant Prince of Ossenbrugh, who finding that the French made little sallies out on that side of the Town, devised how he might en­gage the French to sallie out; his Highness therefore ordered the making of a false work before the Wyck, as if it were de­signed to lodge some foot there, and at the same time orderd a partie of Horse and foot to lie in Ambuscado; the French perceiv­ing that the Dutch were making this work, resolved to sally out with a party, and to fall on the Dutch, that were making this work, the which they did that night following, beating the Dutch out of the Work; the Dutch seemed to run away from the French, but so soon as the French were in the Work, the partie that lay in the Ambush appeared and got between the work and the Town, fell upon the French, and of 300 Foot and 50 Horse there did not get 30 into Mastricht.

[Page 14] This night the Grave of Horn made a brave and bold attempt on the Enemies Counterscarp; so did the Rhine-Grave the same, and that night possessed themselvs in 3 places upon the Counterscarp: here the Rhine-Grave received his deadly wound which disabled him to mount the Approaches anymore.

The next thing undertaken was the attacking of the Horn-work, that laid at the end of the Rhine-Graves Approach, but by a misfor­tune that happened in springing of one of our Mines, that Attach failed; beside, that night the French bent all their force of the Town on that side where that Horn-work lay; yet the Dutch bravely adven­tured, and went to the Pallisadoes that night, killing above 400 Switsers, beside French: upon which as Some the next day reported in the Princes Leaguer, the Governour Don Calvo removed most of his baggage, and much of his stores into the Wyck, which lies on the other side the Mase, resolving to flie thither if he could not keep Mastricht; and hat the had caused false works to be made in several places of the Town, where he thought the Dutch might attempt to storm, and also had made a false wall where the Dutch had batterd the wall, in which said works he had made severall devices of Fire­works with Granadoes, Stinkpots, and other devices to set on fire, if the Dutch attempted a storm; and that he had 2 days before pub­lished a Placate that if any one of the Burgers or any else whosoever should speak of rendring the town, they should immediately be broke on the Wheel, and that the Women should be put into a Church together in the middle of the Town; and that he had ma­de several half Moons, and other Works in the Town; and that he gave a pistol head to every one that plaid the Granadoes when they sallyed out, and to every one that went out upon parties 30 styvers in silver.

At this time was taken a Spy who came out of the Town, preten­ding to desert it, which Spy had in his pocket 2. Musket-bullets in which were 2 Letters in Characters, one to the Governour of Lim­burgh, and theother to the Governour of Charle-Roy, the substance [Page 15] of which Letters was, that, if relief did not come in few days, he could not hold the Place, for he had lost many men and those left were so satigated that he could scarce get the Men, on Duty.

The next day there came some French Officers with Orange scarfs about their middle, who by that means passed the Leaguer, and being near the Town threw away their scarfs, and flourished their white hankerchiefs; which were the men that brought them the good news of relief.

The Rhine-Grave being thus disabled by his last Wound to do any longer duty, the charge and command of the Rhine-Graves post and Approaches was given to Lovignie: this misfortune of the Rijn-Grave gave the Prince of Orange great trouble, for his Highness imposed much trust on the Rijn-Grave: therefore his Highness now was on strict watch, night and day adventuring his person in the Trenches, in all capacities, and did somtimes that which a private Soldjer did: and it is a great Providence he escaped, for many have been killd and wounded by his side; and as I have said before, He hath been on hors-back, from 5 in the afternoon untill 9 the next day, several times contenting himself with a piece of bread and cheese in his hand on horsback: I shall say no more of him, least you think I flatter him. I shall now tell you, that at this time came news that Mons ^r. Schombergh, Mons ^r. deHumieres and Crequi were on a march for the relieving of Ma­stricht; this caused His Highness the Prince of Orange, to make a small journey to Grave Waldeck, who lay then about 10. hours from Mastricht, thereby to advise what was fit to be don at this juncture of time, it was then resolved to detach out of the Princes Leaguer all the horse that could be spared, to reenforce the Army under the command of Grave Waldeck: At this time the Spanjard, who is allways grave in all he take s in hand, marched his pace up towards Mastricht, not at all doubting but that he should so advantagiously post himself, that the French should not at all be able to force a passage into Mastricht.

[Page 16] And here I am to tell you that his Highness the Prince of Orange met with a grand disappointment from the Bishop of Munster and Some other Allies, who promised (and upon good grounds they had so to do) that they would furnish in the Leaguer at Mastricht a very considerable body of foot, beside horse; which had they been there, according to pro­mise, for ought I know, Mastricht had been now in the hands oft he States. Now was the Prince busy in putting himself in a posture to receive the French; the Town at the same time, making severall sallies, though did little hurt. On the 26th. of this moneth being St. Lewis day, the French in the Town fired the whole day, much more then ever before, both for joy of the relief they were assured off, as also for the honour of their Patron S ^t. Lewis.

Now it is time to tell you what is becom of our English Regiments, who at this day had not left, as duty-men, a­bove 300; all the rest kill'd and wounded; yet this handfull never mist duty, when it came to their turn. Now grow's the Alarm hot of the French approach; and his Highness therefore resolvs to put himself in posture, of defence; and thereupon dispatched Orders to march out the horse to Joyn with Count Waldeck, and on the 27th day he gave out orders for drawing oft the Cannons from off the Batteries and works, with all such of the Artillery belonging to the Siege; the which was most expedi­tiously don, and the same put into boats and secured: The next day being the 28th. his Highness by advice of Councel thought good to raise the Siege, and to make all the force he could in order to give battel to the French, if they did not decline it; as the French have don all this year in Flanders: by this time the Alarm grew hot in the Princes Leaguer, that the French were come, that the French were come: this caus­ed some little confusion amongst some Troops then on the advance guard of the Town, who in despite of their Officers, [Page 17] would not stay for the necessary Orders, but ran out of the Works. At this time the Ossenbrughs and Lunenburghs forces, which laid on the other side of the Mase, not judging themselvs strong enough to oppose or stand the shock of the French, marched all over the Mase, and joyned themselvs to the Princes Leaguer: At this very time the English had the honour of being on the Rear-Guard in the Approaches, who staid the very last of all the Leaguer, notwithstanding they were discouraged by Some not 3. pikes length from them, that shew'd a base Example; and they at the last marched out fighting their way through, and loosing men; for the French perceiving that Some made more then ordinary haste out of their Trenches, drew their great guns upon their Works, and fired like mad on our Men, and sallyed out both horse and foot, possessing themselvs of the Princes works, burning and killing all they could meet with: and had not Col. Fenwick, and Lt. Col. Salsbury hastned out of the house they lay in to be cured, as they did, the French had, within one quarter of an hour, taken them all prisoners. By this you see that as the English had at the beginning of the Siege the honour to be on the advance-post of danger, so now at the last they had as much honour in marching the last of all out of the Approaches.

The Siege being now raised, and the Prince and his Forces being drawn up in Battalia, I have no more to say of the Siege: Onely once again to mind you, that much of this is fallen out through the neglect of those who deceived his Highness the Prince of Orange in not sending their Troops to his Highnesses Leaguer, as was agreed.

It remains, That I give you an account of what Officers were kill'd & wounded in this Siege: which you will find in this following List.

Besides all these, There were 21. Gent ^m. Voluntiers kill'd; among whom was Mr. Wiseman: Also two Kinsmen of Lt. Col. Salsbury, who behaved themselvs to a wonder. And whilst I mention them, I cannot forget the L t. Colonel himself, whose untainted valour and bravery of Spirit did here most eminently show it self, he shunning no dangers, but miraculously en­countring & overcoming many perils in the Trenches, and in all the Approaches most faithfully seconding the truly Hon ^ble Col. Fenwick, whose undaunted courage and prudent Conduct in this Affair exceed my praise.

Also 15. more Gent ^m. Voluntiers wounded: among whom is Capt. Gerart Bary whose leg is shot off: and divers others are sadly dismembred.

These are the Number & Names of the Officers I find set down in my Letters: peradventure I have in this Collection mist Some, which I hope will be excused: The List is large enough already out of such a Number as Our Nation were at first upon this service.

There is One thing more that I must beg leave to observe to you, as a piece of honour and Generosity in Our Coun­treymen, and that is concerning the 4 Irish Officers, who, notwithstanding their great sufferings, and unjust persecution upon that false accusation made against them, yet generously [Page 20] upon their own expence attended this service at Mastricht, where you find Capt. Patrick Lee kill'd in the service, and Capt. Ma­cullicott dangerously wounded: for which I quaestion not but that his Highness the Prince of Orange will reward those of them that shall be left alive, not onely for their now service, but for their great sufferings: for certainly there is nothing more brings blessing on a Land and government, then the relieving the oppressed, and giving right judgement on the behalf of the Innocent against false accusations.

Thus have I faithfully given you an account of such passages and matters of fact as I have found written me in my severall Let­ters touching this Siege of Mastricht. In this Brief Narrative I have perhaps omitted the Relation of the brave Actions of Some Others of Our English and Scotsh Officers; for Others indeed there were that ventured as farr for marks of honour as those that are killd and wounded; and it may be I have not enumerated all those who were kill'd and wounded; I am also sensible that I have not spoken enough in reference to the character which is due to Col. Fenwick, for his Conduct in this affair, it requiring a stile above what my pen can reach: In all these I hope I shall be excused, when it shall be consider'd that I intended not this as a large Histo­ry of all the passages there; but onely to give some small part of sa­tisfaction to your Hon ^rs. desire, viz. such as a single Letter is capa­ble off: The defect and brevity whereof I had yet thought to have made out by giving your Honr. a more exact Account of the pre­sent State of Affairs in this Countrey; which falls under severall Considerations: as

First, the dangerous growth of the French in the Mediter­ranean Sea, touching which your Hon ^r. may take notice what a great number of Ships and Galleys have been built by the French since the year 1660.

Secondly, The great probabilitie of the Spanish Netherlands salling into the hands of the French in the ensuing year; They hav­ing [Page 21] now gotten into their possession those Considerable Passes, Condé, Bouchain and Aire, have now onely Yperen and Cambray to win, and then all the Other Towns fall into their hands of course: Now 'tis worth the Consideration, what Neighbours the French are likely to prove, when possest of the ports of the Spanish Netherlands!

3. A word also might here be inserted touching that which indeed requires the most serious thoughts, viz. the Interest of the Protestant Religion. but—

Lastly, Please to consider with what grand difficulties This State in particular is now engaged: never did people more strive to man­age a Case that required so many eyes and hands at work, than do they; and all to preserve that Golden Liberty which cost so dear. Your Hon ^r. cannot chuse but sympathize & be affected with their Condition, or, at least, commend their Industry, that out of a Countrey not so big as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire do show such mi­racles: not onely maintaining an Army of 100000. Men, and 4. Fleets at Sea, one in the West-Indies, one in the Mediterranean, one in the Baltick Sea, and one on their own Coast: but also daily paying to their Allies manyvast summs of money; (and how well they are served by Some of them, wise men may judge by the consequence) Besides all which, did you but see what charge they have been at this year in driving out an unwelcome Guest, (the Water) which had overflowed half their Countrey, and should behold what Bridges, Walls, & other Structures they are now build­ing for the Common good, you could not chuse but have a great sense of their Condition, and exceedingly commend their indefatigable endeavours: And therewithall heartily wish with me, that They may not in any wise be necessitated to make a dis­advantagious Peace with the King of France; but that Our King, upon whose Mediation so much depends, may be by Our good God so directed, that He may herein be helpfull, and so procure that great honour and blessing to be the Peacemaker, and Physi­cian [Page 22] for stopping of that great Effusion of Christian bloud; so as withall, the Consequence of a forced peace to this people may not likewise be of ill consequence to England.

Sr. As to that part of your Letter wherein you desire to know the Reasons why Lt. Col. Salsbury, Major Downing, Cornet Grahme and Some Others have wholly or in part quitted the Ser­vice; I must beg your pardon; rather reserring you, for satis­faction, to the Persons themselvs, who design to be in England within a little time: Yet I cannot omit saying thus much for all those Gentlemen, that it is not upon the lest account of any thing that might tend to blemish them; they being all of good Esteem in the Army both for valour and Experience: The Former of which hath served as an Officer in France, Flanders, and England ever since the Taking of Dunkirck, where among the English He got great honour when but a young Officer.

And as to the Last Question in your Letter, wherein you desire satisfaction concerning some Reports in England made against the States for ill usage, and injustices done to severall Gentlemen that came over to serve the States: Give me leave to say some few words in their justification: The very same things you write me out of England I have met with here: I have had severall Gentle­men that have cur'sd and sworn against the State for injustice don them, yet upon my attendance with those Gentlemen on the Heer Beaumont and Others they have complain'd off, I have found my Countreymen in the wrong; nay, I have found that the State have done much more to encourage Our Nation than to Others: I have known that the State have given the English sull Ordinances for the whole Winter, when Some of the Captains have had but 15 20 or 25 men in their Companies, which should have been above 70. At the same time the Prince of Orange procured them coats and Arms for their Men without paying one styver: (a favour not don to any else) and when all this hath been done to encourage them to get their Companies compleat against the Muster, they have [Page 23] faild, to a great scandall. These may be some of those that complain of being turn'd out, occasioned by their own neglect, when they have had 6 or 8 months time to compleat: And Some of These yet so unjust as not to pay those handfulls of Men they had, which made the poor Creatures run away, being half-starved: When, I remember, Some of Those good Officers asked the Prince of Orange leave, that they might hang Some of the English that ran away, to make Examples to the rest: But the Prince answered short, that he would not have it lie onhis Conscience to hang poor men that run away to get bread to preserve Life. Yet, know there are Some that have cause to complain of being put out at the Bril upon the then Reducements: To which I shall nevertheless answer, That it was impossible but Some must be left out, because there was Tag, Rag, and Long-tail that got Commissions at London from the Dutch Ambassadors, hastening over, Some with 10 Men, others with more or less; the Number of the Pretenders being 105. Some expecting to be Captains, and Some to have high­er Commands: as I knew One that had 6. Commissions to dispose of as he pleased: This was the grand fault, in giving out so many Commissions, and to many that were not able to perform their Capitulations: At last this 105 were reduced to 36. in 3. English Regiments, and 12 Companies in a Scotsh Regiment: So that, Take 48 Companies out of 105. then there remain 57 Complai­nants. But Every one of those Cashiered Captains had their Capi­tulation-moneys paid them, and Every Captain 100 Duckatoons as Danch-gelt, or Gratuity-money for their good will to the State: And this was done to All, except Some few at this time under con­sideration given them upon the justice of their Cause.

But I know, There is yet a Complaint behind, and that is, that the best Men were turned out, and the Worst through favour, or some worse thing, kept in: To wich I referr you to the Names of Those who stand Officers in the List; by which you will find Per­Sons of great merit and long Experienced Soldiers in Commis­sion: [Page 24] Besides that Severall of those Officers left out at the Bril, are since taken into the Regiments, as I could name severall. To con­clude, I never yet could meet with Any one who served well, and kept to the Capitulation, but that the States paid very punctually.

Some reall Complaints I have indeed met with touching the misfortune of those Worthy Gentilmen the Irish Officers falsly accused: but that, I question not, will be satisfyed in time. How­ever 'tis impossible but there will be some complaints amongst Soldiers; as may fall out even in England, where the Pay is the most and the best in Christendom.

At the conclusion of my Letter, I received this further Intelli­gence, That, seeing Our English Regiments are now become so very thin, His Highness hath ordered them into Garrison. The Dutch Regiments have also lost abundance of Men, yet the Prince, who is now with his Army at a place called Bergaworm, was, for his part and those with him, in readiness enough to have fought the French.

I give Your Hon r. no further trouble; onely entreat your Can­did interpretation of these Lines from him, who subscribes himself

P. S. The Princes Armyis, with those of the Allies retired into Brabant. The French are between Liege and Mastricht.