THE HISTORY OF THE CAMPAGNE IN FLANDERS, For the Year, 1695. WITH An ACCOUNT OF THE Siege of Namur.

By EDWARD D'AUVERGNE, M. A. Rector of St. Brelade in the Isle of Jersey, and Chaplain to His Majesty's Regiment of Scots Guards.

LONDON, Printed for Mat. Wotton, at the Three Daggers; and John Newton, at the Three Pigeons, in Fleetstreet, 1696. Where are to be sold the Histories for the Years, 1692, 1693, 1694. Written by the same Author.

TO HIS GRACE, The DUKE of ORMOND, Lieutenant-General OF His Majesty's Armies, &c.

MY LORD,

WHAT my Worthy Friend did, when he publish'd one of my precedent Histories, I beg leave now to do my self, and to make use of the Opportunity which my Presence in England at this time affords me, to present these Sheets to YOUR GRACE. The End my Friend had in that Dedication, was to procure me the Protection of YOUR GRACE, to whom it was then my Misfortune to be un­known: But now I am so sensible of YOUR [Page] GRACE's unmerited Favours, that this small Offering proceeds from Gratitude; tho' com­mon Prudence were enough to have induc'd me to shelter this Work under the Patronage of a Name known and valued by all Europe; a Name worthily born by YOUR GRACE, the deserved Heir of a Race of Heroes. That Great and Warlike Spirit, which YOUR GRACE inherits from a long Descent of Re­nown'd Ancestors, takes You from that soft Rest and Ease You might enjoy at home, and carries You abroad into the Field of Fame and Glory, there to hazard both Life and Fortune; the one for the Safety, the other for the Honour and Reputation of England: And 'tis That attracts the Hearts of all Nations, even of our Enemies, and inclines them to love, admire, and re­spect You; witness what we saw in that Great Day of Landen, wherein Your Hero­ick Courage vanquish'd our Victorious Ene­mies, even then when you fell into their Hands, dy'd in Your Noble Blood. Your Valour amaz'd them, but Your Civil Generous Deportment charm'd them, and has made the Celebrated Name of ORMOND Reverenc'd [Page] and Esteem'd among all the High Officers of the Armies of France; if I may not say Fear'd, without disrespect to a Brave and Valiant Enemy. They are great Judges of Martial Worth and Merit; and therefore, at the same time that they applaud and admire it in YOUR GRACE, they cannot but be apprehen [...]ive of it in an Enemy; especially when they consider it lodg'd in One born to Command, and whom the Greatest Monarch and General now in the World has tutor'd through all the Steps and Degrees of Experience, before he made him Lieutenant-General of his Armies; tho' it were a Commis­sion antecedently due to so Illustrious a Person. His Majesty would have YOUR GRACE to be the chief Sharer with him in all the Toils and Dangers, to which he has so undauntedly expos'd himself for the Common Good of the Cause he heads: 'Twas You He would have daily with him in the Trenches during the most Famous and Important Siege of Namur, to give YOUR GRACE all the Ad­vantages of the Best and the most Per­fect Knowledge in the several Arts of War, that He may one Day confide the Lea­ding [Page] of his Armies to the DUKE of ORMOND.

But, MY LORD, I forget that I venture upon an Attempt in which the ablest Pens may miscarry. YOUR GRACE has been so often regal'd with Epistles Dedicatory from the most Ingenious Persons, who look upon You as the great Patron of Mars and of the Muses, that even at the best I can but make an Eccho to their Endeavours, in setting forth YOUR GRACE's due Praise. This Con­sideration bids me be silent, and only desire leave to subscribe my self,

May it please YOUR GRACE,
YOUR GRACE's Most Faithful, Most Humble, and Most Obedient Servant, E. D'Auvergne.

To the Reader.

SOme People will wonder why this Account comes out so late; I rather complain that it comes out too soon. As late as 'tis publish'd, the Reader may easily perceive, by the negli­gence of the Style, and the many Faults of the Press, that it hath been both writ and printed in hast. The great variety of Action in the Last Campagne has swell'd this History to a conside­rable bulk, which therefore has requir'd some time to compose, as well as to print. The Booksellers to make the more hast, have put it into several Hands to have it printed, which is the reason of the difference found in the spelling of several Words, besides other Faults, which I hope the Courteous Reader will pardon. I have only corrected those Errors of the Press which alter'd the sense of the Phrase, the re [...]t I must leave to be amended by the Judicious Reader.

Indeed an Account of this nature should not be publish'd without being first perus'd by some of the General Officers concern'd: But such a just and necessary Circumspection would keep the Work too long from the Publick, which loves to have things New; therefore it must e'en be content to have it attended with several Mi­stakes, and (I may say) worse Faults: 'Tis what obliges me to beg the Excuse of those Great and Worthy Gentlemen, whose noble Feats and Actions make up the subject of this History, for the several Faults and mistakes of this Book; which if more exact, would be more just to their deserv'd Honour and Praise. In so glorious an Action as the Siege of Namur, where every Regi­ment concern'd has perform'd Wonders, it was very difficult for me to do express Justice to all; and therefore I hope, that when I offend in this respect, their generous Nature will incline them to Pardon.

A dry Journal may be made in the Camp, but I think that an Historical Account, wherein a Man must specifie the Connexion [Page] and Coherences of the several Matters of Fact, their relation to, and dependance from one another, requires the Calm and Leisure of a Winter-Quarter to compose it.

I have lately receiv'd from Maestricht the Plan of the Siege of Namur, and of the Lines of Circumvallation, (done by an ingenious Hand) with several other Particulars relating to the Siege, which are come too late to be inserted in my Book; but I have added at the end of it as much as I could, viz▪ the List of the Hesse and Branden­bourgh Forces, and of those encamp'd in the Line of Circumvallation. As for the Plan, my Undertakings meet with so little Encouragement that the Booksellers could not go to the Charge of having it en­grav'd, and join'd to this History. I have given it to Mr. Mor­den at the Atlas in Cornhill, where the Curious may have it to explain and illustrate my Account of this Great and Famous Siege. Such Discouragements may convince the World, that I do not write for Profit. My End and Design is to satisfie the Curiosity of English Men, so much concern'd in the Interest and Charges of this War, and as much as lies in my Power to give them a true Relation of Things. If I had not more regard to the Satisfaction of my Country, than I have to my Labour and Expences, I should never concern my self with these Matters. Five Campagnes to One that should affect a studious and quiet Life, is enough to put him out of conceit with War, or giving an Account of it.

God continue the Success of His Majesty's Arms, that our Enemies may be soon reduc'd to such Just and Reasonable Terms, as may produce a speedy and solid Peace. Amen.

⁂ The Style of this Account is the Julian, or Old Style, observ'd in England.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Engraving of the Plan of the Siege of Namur, has retarded the Publishing of this Book for some time.

THE HISTORY OF THE Last Campagne IN FLANDERS, 1695.

THE Issue of the last Year's Campagne left the Scale of War beginning to incline favourably on our side; for though the Enemies at first seem'd to command the Field, and that their Army domineer [...]d to the very Gates of Maestricht, yet at last they had much ado to cover the Conquer'd Flanders from an Invasion, and were forced to leave Huy open to a Siege, and suffer it quietly to fall in our hands, when it was so convenient a Post for Liege, and an [Page 2] Out-work not only necessary for its safety, but that likewise gave us the liberty of the Meuse to the very Gates of Namur, to form an attempt on that side when ever we should have the Superio­rity of the Field; therefore whatever the Enemies may have boasted of their precipitate Marches the last year to cover their Towns in Flanders, and to maintain their Frontier at Courtray, yet what we did then, open'd the way to the Great and Glorious Undertaking of this happy and successful Campagne.

This would be a very strange and surprizing turn to a Man that should know no more of the Affairs of this War, tha [...] what he has read in the Flourishes of the French Panegyrists, or that has been us'd hitherto to the frequent Musick of Te Deums for several Successes pretended to be due to the Justice of an ambitious aggresser's Cause. When we lo [...]t the Battle of Landen, nothing less according to their accounts could be expected than the loss of the Spanish Netherlands; and 'twas the French Kings own expression, That there was nothing but what he might expect from such a Victory, and nothing but what we ought to fear after such a Defeat Letter to sing the Te Deum ▪ And yet it is from the loss of this very Battle that we must date the declining of our victorious Enemies great­ness. The following Campagne, they found themselves uncapa­ble to pursue their so much boasted Success, and to act offen­sively, by the considerable increase of our Strength: And in this the Success of the War has appeared signally of our side, and we ought always to thank God for [...]o extraordinary a Bles­sing. This variety of Events in the Affairs of War ought to teach us, at the expence of our Enemies, not to be arrogant nor insulting in Success, but still to be thankful to God, to keep with­in the bounds of Moderation, and not to suffer our selves, to be transported to such Extravagancies which now upon this hap­py turn of the Scale of War, render the flattering and insolent Writings of our Enemies ridiculous to the meaner and the most ordinary Reader.

If the Counsels of our Enemies during the precedent Winter-Quarters▪ were still contriving some new designs to advance their Conquests, they became so sensible (the last Winter) of the In­crease of the Allies Strength and Power, that far from projecting any new Attempts upon our Frontiers, they began very early [Page 3] to provide for the defence and security of their own; they found what shifts they were put to the last Campagne to cover their Conquests in Flanders from an Invasion; and if they succeeded in the defence of it, yet the undertaking made them jealous of our further designs against their Frontier of this side; this made them resolve to leave no way open (if possible) to any attempt against them in this Countrey, which, bordering upon the Sea, a Conquest here would be so much the more dangerous that it may draw the reduction of Dunkirk after it, or at least, it would expose it to the hazard of a Siege, which of all their places in the Low-Countries, is the most important for them to maintain.

The way was open from the Water of Ipre, to the Lys, and as for their Old Line from the Lys to the Scheld, they found it of a troublesome length, and difficult to keep, and that it did not sufficiently cover their Countrey so long as Courtray lay expo­sed to us▪ The Lys and the Scheld incline very much to one ano­ther in this place, which makes the distance between these two Rivers half less than it is between Menin and Pont d' Espiers; and therefore as for this reason it was so much the easier to de­ [...]end, so likewise it was very necessary for the Safety of Courtray, which though weak of Scituation, yet could not be attack'd, as long as they kept a Line here. For this reason the Enemies re­solv'd to make a new Line between the Lys and the Scheld, which should begin at St. John's Porte at Courtray, and should terminate [...]t self on the Scheld between Bossu and Avelghem; and likewise to make another from Ipre to Comines upon the Lys, thereby to shelter their pais conquis from any design▪ Accordingly about the middle of March last, they summoned the Boors of all the Countrey round about to rendezvouz at Ipre and Courtray, and being all ready towards the latter end of the Month, the Mares­chal de Bouflers, who re [...]ided at Lisle as Governour of the French Fland [...]rs, drew out all the Frontier Garrisons to cover the Pio­neers, whilst they should work at the new Line, and incamp'd with them at Belleghem near Courtray, where he had his head Quarters.

Upon this Motion of the Enemies, our Garrisons had orders to be ready to march, and the Duke of Holstein Ploen, with the Duke of Wirtemberg, waited upon the Elector at Brussels, [Page 4] where they held a Council of War, and resolv'd that a Detach­ment of Five Hundred Men out of every Battallion in Garrison in Flanders, Brussels, Malines, Louvain, and the Neighbouring Dutch Garrisons, should be drawn out to form a Camp between Deinse and Ghent, in order to oppose, if possible, this new work of the Enemies. The Garrison of Malines, Louvain, and others the most remote march'd the first of April towards the General Rendezvouz, and the Elector left Brussels, attended by the Prince de Vaudemont, the Dukes of Holstein Ploen and Wirtembergh, and came to Ghent the 4th, to put himself at the head of the Army. In the mean time the Garrisons of Ghent and Bruges, with the Regiments of Mackay and Graham from Ostend, and Lorne from Damme march'd, and by the 6th. they were all at the General Rendezvouz between Deinse and Ghent, commanded by the Elector of Bavaria, who took his Quarters at Oydonck, and the Duke of Holstein Ploen, who took his at Nevel; our Right reach'd towards the Abbey of Drongen, and our left was at Deinse; and our whole Army consisted of about Seventy Battallions, be­ing a Detachment of Five Hundred Men a [...] Battallion; so that our Strength was computed to be about 35000 Foot. The Garrisons of the Meuse did not stir, nor those in Holland; but the Garrison of Dixmuyde, and those quarter'd in or about Newport, had orders to be ready to march, being reinforced with the Regiments of St. Amand and Soutlandt from Sluys. The Cavalry drew out 30 Men of a Troop from the same Garrisons▪ so that our Army at Deinse consisted of near Fifty Thousand Men, but the Season was yet so early, that the Ground produc'd no For­rage, which was so much the more retarded by reason of the rigour of the precedent Winter, and the Troops were sub­sisted with dry Forrage from the Magazines of Ghent.

Whether 'twas to make a diversion to oblige the Enemies to draw off some of their Forces from the defence of their new Lines, to facilitate the forcing of them by our Army at Deinse, or whe­ther we were jealous of Dixmuyde, that the Enemies might have some design upon it, whilst the main Body of our Army was In­camp'd near Deinse, I cannot determine; but whil'st the Enemy were working very busily at their New Lines, a Train of Ar­tillery was sent from Ghent to Bruges, with an Escort of Five [Page 5] Hundred Dragoons, April. which was followed the next day with all sorts of Ammunitions, Convoy'd by Five Hundred Dragoons more; and the [...]est of our English and Scots Dragoons which had been quarter'd in the Winter between Ghent and Sasvan-Ghent, marched the same way some days after, and went to Dixmuyde, where the Forces Quarter'd in the Camerlings Ambacht (or Countrey about the Canal of Newport) had orders to repair upon a Minutes warning, with the Regiments of St. Amand and Soutlandt, that had marched from Sluys to New­port: But the Enemies who were resolv'd not to be interrupted in their Work, but to bring it to perfection, order'd all their Garrisons in Flanders to draw out, and the Brigade of Foot-Guards, both French and Swissers, marched with all expedition from Paris to joyn the Army near Courtray; so that at the same time that we form'd our Army near Deinse, they had their Main Body with the Mareschal de Bouflers at Belleghem, and sufficient Detachments to cover the Kenoque, and the New Line they were making between Ipre and Comines upon the Lys. Of our [...]ide we made a Bridge upon the Lys below Deynse to pass that River in case the forcing of the Enemies Work should be judg'd [...]e [...]sible. But because 'twas now the beginning of the Spring, and that it was very dangerous to hazard a Battle, which at the best must ruine our Army though we should succeed in beating the Enemy from their Work, and hinder it from any other Action of the Campagne; but if beaten and repuls'd, then the Enemies would have remain'd Masters of the Field▪ with the advantage of a whole Campagne before them: For this reason 'twas not judg'd safe for the Interest of the Allyes to hazard a Battle to en­deavour to force the Enemies Work; but to remain incamp'd at Deinse, whil'st the Enemies should keep the Field, to cover our own Garrisons; which Reasons were sent to, and approv'd of by the King, who was still in England, expecting the Conclusion of the Sessions of the Parliament in order to pass the Sea, and put himself at the Head of his Army.

Thus the Enemies were suffered to go on quietly with their Work, which they advanc'd with all Expedition, having above Twenty Thousand Pioniers imploy'd, which they had summoned from the Chatellenies of Lisle, Ipre, and Courtray; and from the Paiis d' Artois; and having succeeded in this Work, they thought [Page 6] they had provided effectually for their defence, and reckon'd that this advantage wou [...]d draw the whole success of the follow­ing Campagne after it; and considering that their design was to act Defensively, they made as much of this Affair as if they had got a Victory, or had taken some considerable Town, because they suppos'd that what they had done contributed in spight of our attempts to their Wishes and Designs: For now they had a very strong barriere from Dinant to the Sea, every where co­ver'd either with a River or a Line, which being provided with good Troops, we must either force the passage of a River, or their Lines to get into their Countrey. Namur clos'd up the Meuse and the Sambre; from Thuin on the Sambre to the Haine they had another Line to cover the Countrey between Mons and Maub [...]uge; which River running by Mons, falls into the Scheld at Condé. The Scheld from Condé to Bossu between Audenard and Tournay, is a very good defence, which Nature has provi­ded for the Enemies Countrey on the other side, and their New Line which they have made this year, Incloses all their Countrey from the Scheld to the Lys at Courtray: From Comines upon the Lys they have continued their Line to Ipre, and from Ipre they have a Canal which goes by the Kenoque to Furnes, and so to Dunkirk, fortified with good Redoubts and Forts from place to place. So that if we consider the strength of the Enemies Bar­riers, and the weakness of our Frontiers, it must very much add to the Honour and Glory of a Conquest of our side; and we need not much wonder at the Enemies Conquests, whilst we have acted defensively, and have been so considerably inferiour to them in Number in some of the foregoing Campagnes.

The Marquis de la Valette, Lieutenant General, who Com­manded the Old Lines, being dead of an Apoplexy the last Winter at Courtray, the French King gave the Command of the New Lines to the Count de la Mothe, Mareschal de Camp, which they have made so much stronger than the l [...]st, that they have not the Con­veniencies of Water to fill the [...]ossé; for which reason they have made the Ditch so much the larger, and the Breast-work equal to standing Fortifications▪ with Redoubts [...]aliss [...]ded and Stockaded, as well as the Angles Saillants▪ or [...]oints of the Line which flank it. As soon as the Enemies had brought this [Page 7] work to some perfection, they began to dismiss their Troops back into Quarters, except such a Number as should be necessary for the defence of their Lines, with orders to be ready at first warning; and it being so early in the Year that our Forces could not subsist but at the Charges of dry Forrage, all the Cavalry was sent back into Quarters, and the Infantry of the Neighbouring Garrisons. The Elector left the Field as soon as there appeared no probability of attempting the Enemies Line, and went for Brussels the 16th together with the Prince de Vaudemont: The Duke of Holstein Ploen return'd to Malines and Maestricht the 23th. and the 25th. the Garrisons of Ghent, Bruges, Ostend, and Dendermond were sent back to their re­spective Quarters, till we should take the Field; part of the Garrison of Brussels, with those of Malines, Louvain, and Lier, with the Dutch Guards, and the other Troops which His Ma­jesty design'd should act under His Command in Flanders, be­ing something remote from their Quarters, to return back again in so little time, were order'd to [...]ncamp at Marykirk near Ghent, where they were supplyed with dry Forrage, being near Forty Battalions, Commanded by the Duke of Wirtembergh, who had his Quarters at Ghent; and Major-General Churchil, who Commanded the Garrison of Malines lay at Marykirk, which were the only English left in the Field.

Soon after the returning of the Forces from the Camp at Deinse into their Quarters, His Majesty gave the Command in chief of his Army to Charles Henry of Lorrain, Prince of Vaudemont, which was signified by order to the Garrisons. He has always been very zealous for the Kings Interest, and the Allies; and has been a Partner in most of the Dangers to which the King has expos'd himself from the Year, 1673, when the King of Spain enter'd into an Offensive and Defensive Allyance with the States of Holland joyntly with the Emperour and Princes of Germany, to this time: And as such long experience of the King's Heroick Vertues must needs produce a very high Veneration for His Ma­jesty, so the King has so long tryed the Spotless Honour, the Undaunted Courage, and the Incomparable Judgment of this Excellent Prince, that he has a particular Value and Esteem for him; All his Qualities are Charming. He is of a most affable [Page 8] and generous temper; and has the Look and Presence of a Person of the highest Rank and Eminency, so all his Actions are agree­able thereunto; and if the Gout and Rheumetismes have very much weakned his Body, and almost disabled him of his Limbs, that is sufficiently recompenc'd by a Vast Judgment, and a most Solid and Clear Understanding. At the Battle of Landen he was in Italy, which is the only Action in this Countrey, that he has not been present at with His Majesty since the last Holland Wars; and when he left Brussels to undertake that Journey, he declar'd that he was extremely griev'd to part with the King, and that 'twas the greatest trouble of his Voyage. He is Governeur des Armes to the King of Spains Forces in Flanders, which answers to a Mareschal; which Commission is never given, but when a Prince of the Royal Blood of Spain is Governour of Flanders. When the Elector of Bavaria had this Government given him, the King of Spain allow'd him all the Priviledges which the Car­dinal Infant, and other Governours of the House of Austria have had, and as this of having a Governeur des Armes was one, so Prince Vaudemont, who before had commanded the Spanish Horse, had this Commission given him. But without any farther Character of this Noble Prince, what he has done in this Campagne is sufficient to give him a Rank amongst the Greatest Generals in History.

The Sessions of Parliament kept the King in England, almost to the middle of May. His Majesty landed in Holland the 14th, and as the time to open the Campagne (which was something retarded by the rigour of the precedent Winter) drew near, the King spent but few days at the Hague in Conferences with the States General, and went to Loo the 20th, to take his usual Divertisement. In the mean while our Armies began to take the Field, and as His Majesty design'd Two Armies for the be­ginning of the Campagne, one to be commanded by the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Holstein Ploen, and the other by His Majesty in Person, and Prince Vaudemont, which was to Act in Flanders; So the first began to Randezvouz near Brussels, with the Head Quarters at Sellick; the Right at Asck, and the Left towards Brussels, compos'st of the Dutch Troops that had their Quarters in the Frontiers of Holland, and upon the Meuse, with [Page 9] part of the Garrisons of Brussels and Louvain, May. Commanded then by the Duke of Holstein Ploen. As for those which were to act in Flanders under the King and Prince Vaudemont, being most His Majesties Troops, they did not take the Field so soon, being quarter [...]d at hand in the Towns of Flanders. The 23th. the Elector left Brussels, to put himself at the Head of the Army at Sellich, and march'd that very day to Ninove, taking his Quar­ter at Pamele. The 26th. our Garrisons in Flanders march'd to take the Field. That of Bruges▪ with Mackays Regiment from Ostend, march'd to Bellem upon the Canal under the Com­mand of Sir Henry Bellasis, Lieutenant General, and Major General Ramsay. The Regiments of Brewer and Tidcomb from Bruges, Courthop and Graham from Ostend, and Lorne from Damme, and those quarter'd near the Canal of Newport, (viz.) Lesley, Tiffeny, Maitland, Ferguson, and Buchan, had orders to march to Dixmuyde, there to form a Camp under the Command of Major-General Ellembergh. The Garrisons of Ghent and Dendermond march'd the 26th, and joyn'd our Forces that had Incamp'd at Mary-kirk ever since the Camp at Deynse; and the 27th we all rendezvouz'd at Arseel, the Garrisons of Bruges, Ghent and Dendermond, and the Forces that had Incamp'd at Marykirk with our Right near Caneghem, and our Left to the Lys, Commanded by the Prince de Vaudemont, and the Duke of Wir­tembergh, being then all Infantry. This was the same Camp with that of the other Year call'd the Camp of Wouterghem, changing name from the difference of the Kings Quarter, which was now marked at Arseel. The same day the King came from Breda to Ghent, being about Twenty Leagues; where the In­habitants had made great preparations to receive His Majesty, with demonstrations of Joy suitable to what they owe to so great a King, and the Protector of their Countrey; the princi­pal Burghers waited upon the King in Procession from the Ant­werp Port, where His Majesty was received and harangued by the Magistrates; the Canon all round the Ramparts of this big Town, which had been drawn out on purpose, was thrice fired; the Militia was under Arms, making a Lane through the Streets, and the Chief Burghers had all White Wax Torches in their [Page 10] hands, in the same manner that they use to attend at their Pro­cessions: In this Ceremony the King was conducted to Monsieur d' Auverquerque's Lodgings, with Illuminations all along the Streets; and a stately Fire-work was prepar'd upon the Clock-House, which made a very fine shew. Indeed the People of this Countreys Joy was very great to see the King come to head the Armies in Flanders; for when it pleased God to take away our late Queen of ever blessed Memory, it is impossible almost to express their grief; they were afraid that the King having lost this admirable Partner of his Kingdoms would be obliged to remain in England to take that care upon himself, which he used to commit, during the Campagne, to this Wise and Excel­lent Queen; and therefore this added so much the more to Their Joy, that they were rid of this fear, and that they saw His Majesty coming to put Himself at the Head of the Army, and that His Enemies could not hinder the peace and quiet of His Kingdoms, which His Majesty committed to the prudent and faithful care of the Lords Justices. And though the King had already made that day a long Journey from Breda to Ghent, yet He only tarried there to refresh Himself, and came that very Night about Twelve of the Clock to the Camp at Arseel, and the next day His Majesty [...]Dined with Prince Vaudemont. The 29th. the King review'd the first Line of Foot, the Regiments march'd in Battallion before His Majesty, and not single Com­panies, which would have taken up too much time. They ap­pear'd in very good order, and very full, and extremely well Accoutr'd. The same day the Cavalry came to the Camp, the English Incamp'd upon the Right towards Caneghem, and the Dutch upon English Pay, with the Dutch Brigade of Montigny▪ Incamp'd upon the Left towards the Lys; being all commanded by Monsieur d' Auverquerque, Eldest Lieutenant [...]General. The 30th. the King review'd the second Line of Foot, which march'd in Battallion as the first, and appear'd in the same order. The 31th. in the Morning, the King review'd our English Caval­ry, all which Incamp'd upon the Right Wing, which made a very gallant shew, the Horses being in very good order, and the Men very well Cloath'd and Arm'd. In the Afternoon His [Page 11] Majesty review'd the Left Wing of Horse made up of the Dutch; the Cavalry march'd in Squadrons before the King, as the Foot had done in Battallion, and all the Cavalry in general was in an extraordinary good Condition: I shall Insert here our Line of Battle at this Camp, according to the Review made before the King.

Line of Battle at the Camp of Arsoil, May 30th. 1695. Commanded by the King, and under His Majesty by Prince Vandemont.

RIGHT WING.

First Line.
  • Auverquerque, Lieutenant-General.
  • Rivers, Major-General.
    Brigades. Regiments. Squad.
    Matthews Eppinger's  
    Dragoons 5
    L' Etang. Horse Granadiers 1
    Scarborough 1
    Ormond 1
    Rivers 1
    Auverquerque 1
    Vaudemont 1
    Coy. Wood 2
    Galloway 3
    Coy 2
    Leveson 2
      Squadrons 20
Second Line.
  • The Duke of Ormond Lieute­nant General.
  • Eppinger, Major General.
    Brigades. Regiments. Squad.
    Matthews Livingston Drag. 4
    Mirmont 1
    Lumley Lumley 3
    Carabiniers, or  
    Wyndham 2
    Schomberg 2
    Langston 2
    Hompes Nassaw Vries [...]andt 3
    Keppel, last Year 2
    Lippo Holland  
    Nassaw Sarbruck 2
      Squadrons 21

Body of FOOT.

First Line.
  • Duke of Wirtembergh, General of Foot.
  • Count Nassaw, Lieutenant-Ge­neral.
  • Count Noyelles, Lieutenant-Ge­neral.
  • Churchil, and Mirmont, Major-Generals.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
    Brigade of Guards. English Guards first Regiment 1
    Eng. Guards Coldstr. 1
    Dutch Guards 1
    Scots Guards 1
    Erle Royal 1
    Selwyn 1
    Churchill 1
    Trelawney 1
    Stanley 1
    Erle 1
    Fitspatrick Fairfax (Lloyd) 1
    Fusiliers 1
    Collingwood 1
    Fredr▪ Hamilton 1
    Ingoldesby 1
    La Meloniere 1
    Packmoer Nassaw 1
    Packmoer 1
    Fuhnen 1
    Zeelandt 1
    Prince George 1
    Prince Frideric 1
    Danish Guards 1
    Ransaw Noyelles 1
    Ransaw 1
    Milune 2
    Prince Philip 1
    Torsay 1
    Bernstorf Wymberg 1
    Churprince 1
    Luc 1
    Bernstorf Zell 1
    Arents 1
    Brigad [...] Bernstorf 1
    Birkenfeldt 1
      Battalions 36
Second Line.
  • [Page 12] Sir Henry Bellasis, Lieutenant-General.
  • La Meloniere and Ramsay, Major-Generals.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
    Brigade of Guards English Guards first Regim. 1
    Dutch Guards 1
    Scots Guards 1
    Collier Royal 1
    Seymour 1
    Rada 1
    Granville 1
    Saunderson 1
    Collier 1
    Offerrel Lauder 1
    Mackay 1
    Offerrel 1
    Marton 1
    Strathnaver 1
    George Hamilton 1
    St. Paul Woffembuttel Gua. 1
    Hering 1
    Huisen (Lewen haupt.) 1
    Cinqvilles 1
    St. Paul 1
    Hanover Guards 1
    Banniere L'Ecluse 1
    Holstein Beck 1
    Weldern. (Bulo) 1
    Tcharner 2
    Banniere 1
    Anhalt Zerbst Weed 1
    Heyden 1
    Schrettenback 1
    Dona (Rhingra.) 1
    Gohr (Zobel) 1
    Anhalt Z [...]rbst 1
    Slagenberg 1
      Battalions 34

LEFT WING.

First Line.
  • Portland, Lieutenant-General.
  • Major-General Dopf.
    Brigades. Regim. Squad.
    Montigny Montigny 2
    Turken 2
    Boncourt Boncourt 2
    Seestadt 2
    Wirtemberg 2
    La Forest 2
    Hompes Portland 3
    Wynne Wynne Dragoons 4
    Essex 4
      Squadrons 23
Second Line.
  • La Forest Lieutenant-General.
    Brigades▪ Regim. Squad.
    Montigny Ohr 2
    Zeulen 2
    Schack Schack 2
    Vittinghoff 2
    Rochford or 2
    Zuylenstein  
    Wynne Dopf Dr. 4
    Cunningham 4
      Squadrons 18

[Page 14] Though the Regiments of Lauder, Offerrel, Strathnaver, and George Hamilton, are inserted in this List, yet they were not in the Camp at Arseel, they remained in their Quarters at Deinse, under the Command of Brigadier Offerrel; neither were the Horse-Granadiers nor the Life-Guards of Ormond and Auverquerque yet come up, however they were daily expected, and the Garrison of Deinse was at hand; so that the Kings Army at Arseel consisted of 70 Battalions, which at 600 a Battalion makes 42000 Foot, and 82 Squadrons, whereof 26 were Dragoons, whose complement is 100 a Squadron, which makes 2600 Dragoons, and 56 Squadrons of Horse at 150 per Squa­dron, which makes 8400 Horse; all which being added toge­ther amounts to 53000 Men, which was then the whole of the Kings Army. But to give a just Estimate of the Forces we had then in the Field in Flanders, I shall here insert the Line of Battle of the Army commanded by the Elector of Bavaria, as it passed Review before his Electoral Highness at Ninove; and the List of the Little Camp we had at Dixmuyde.

LIST of the Electors Army at Ninove, Commanded under Him by the Duke of Holstein Ploen.

RIGHT WING.

First Line.
  • Spaniards, 8 Squadrons.
  • Arco, Lieutenant-General.
  • Rivera, Major-General of the Bavarian Foot.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
    Bavarians Bavar. Gua Foot 2 Squad.
    Arco Dragoons 2
    Arco Cuirassiers 5
Second Line.
  • Spaniards, 7 Squadrons.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
    Bavarians Bavar. Gua. Fo. 1
    Rivera 1 Squad.
    Monasterol Drag. 3
    Weickel Cuirass. 5
First Line.
  • [Page 15]Nassau Weilbourg, Major-Gen.
    Brigades. Regim. Squad.
    Pyper Erbach 2
    Horenberg (Stein) 2
    Montpouillan 2
      Squadrons 21
      Battalions 2
Second Line.
  • Brigades. Regim. Squad.
    Pyper Nassau Weilbourg 4
      Squadrons 19
      Battalions 2

Body of FOOT.

First Line.
  • Tettau, Lieutenant-General.
  • Salisch, Major-General.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
    Lindeboom Holstein Ploen 1
    Lindeboom 1
    Essen 1
    Lottom 1
    Harsolt 1
    Gohr Hanover 1
    Carles 1
    Sparr 1
    Heukelom Braha 1
    Oxenstern 1
    Friesheim 1
    Ameliswert 1
    Dumont 1
    Heukelom 1
    Tettau 1
      Battalions 15
Second Line.
  • Major-Generals, Fagel and Suerin.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
      Salisch 1
    Suerin 3
    Prince Lodowick 1
    Knoring 1
    Hasfert 1
    Holstein Norburg. Capol 2
    Marquet 1
    Obergen 1
    La Mothe 1
    Holstein Norburg 1
    Fagel 1
      Battalions 14

LEFT WING.

First Line.
  • Athlone, General of Horse.
  • Ittersom, Lieutenant-General.
  • Hubert, Major-General.
    Brigades. Regim. Squad.
    Chauvirè Athlone 2
    Warfusé 2
    Vocht 2
    Chauvirá 2
    Ittersom 2
    Rohr Wirtemberg 2
    Saxe Heilberg 2
    Flodorp 2
    Iselstein Hubert 2
    Bois David 2
    Ʋrichappel 2
    Prince Philippe 2
    Holstein Ploen 2
      Squadrons 26
Second Line.
  • Lieutenant-Generals, Opdam and Count Tilly.
  • Major-General,—
    Brigades. Regim. Squad.
    Lippe-Zell. Tilly 2
    Saxegotha 2
    Arco 1
    Bernikow 2
    Lippezell 2
    Rohr Wolfembuttel 2
    Goeden 2
    Ryswick Ryswick 2
    Hombourg 2
    Montflin 2
    Oost [...]rise 2
    Heyden 2
    Opdam 2
      Squadrons 25

Reserve of DRAGOONS.

Boinenbourg Holstein Ploen 4
Boinenbourg 4
Willers 3
Matta 4
Schlipenbach 4
Schulemberg 3
  Squadrons 22

Army at Dixmuyde, Cammanded by Major-General Ellenberg.

First Line.
  • Mathews Dragoons, 2 Squad.
  • Tennagel Horse 1 Squad.
    Infantry. Battal.
    Brewer 1
    Tidcomb 1
    Lesley 1
    Courthop ( St. George) 1
    Graham 1
    Belcastel 1
    Auer 1
    Jutland 1
    Prince Christian 1
    The Queen of Denmark 1
    Queens Dragoons 2
    Squadrons 5
    Battalions 10
Second Line.
  • Mathews Dragoons, 2 Squad.
  • Tennagel Horse 1 Squad.
    Infantry. Battal.
    Maitland 1
    Ferguson 1
    Tiffeny 1
    Lorne 1
    Buchan 1
    Soutlandt 1
    St. Amand 1
    Holle 1
    Young Holstein 1
    Lloyd, or the 2
    Queens Dragoons  
    Squadrons 5
    Battalions 9

By this List it appears, that the Army at Ninove, Commanded by the Elector of Bavaria and the D. of Holstein Ploen, consisted of 33 Battalions, which makes 19800 Foot, 91 Squadrons of Horse, which makes 13650, and 2200 Dragoons, which in all amounts to 35650 Men. Ellenberg had 19 Battalions, which according to our computation of 600 Men per Battalion, makes 11400 Foot, besides 3 [...]0 Horse and 800 Dragoons, which makes 12500 Men: So that we had then in the Field, in the Kings Army 53000 Men, in the Electors 35650, in Ellenbergs 12500; all which being added together, makes our Armies to consist of 101150 effective Men. But besides this, we had the Brandenburg Forces, who were to act upon the Meuse, and were drawing to their general Rendezvouz near Li [...]ge, from their [Page 18] Winter-Quarters which had been assigned them in Liege, Aix [...]a Chapelle, and in the Diocess of Cologne, consisting of 18 Bat­talions and 38 Squadrons, Commanded by Lieutenant-General Heyden, which made 10800 Foot, 14 Squadrons of Dragoons and 24 of Horse, which makes 5000 Horse and Dragoons, in all 15800 Men. Brigadier D'ompré was at Bilsen, not far from Maestricht, with 9 Squadrons of Horse made up of the Regi­ments of D'ompré, Grisper, Reibold, Bunaw, and S [...]xe Meining, which has but One Squadron. I have not seen a List of the Liege Forces Commanded by Prince Cerclas of Tilly, but I be­lieve it did not exceed 10 Squadrons, and 4 Battalions. Besides all this, I suppose we had some Dutch Battalions which joyned the Brandenburg Forces when they went to the Mehaig [...]e, in order to Invest Namur: For I am sure there were Dutch Regi­ments in the Siege which are not in these Lists, as particularly Dedem and Coh [...]rne. 'T was generally computed that all our Forces from the Meuse to the Sea, in the Field at the beginning of this Summer, consisted of 150 Battalions and 262 Squadrons, which amounts in all to 124700 effective Men, which is a very advantageous difference from what we had the Last Year, con­sidering that to bring these Forces in the Field, we have not raised one Man more the Last Winter for it; and this must be the consequence of the advantage we had by the taking of Huy, and not having Liege for a Frontier, how much soever the suc­cess of the Last Campagne was lessened by our Enemies.

At the same time that our Army under the El [...]or and the Duke of Holstein Ploen began to Rendezvouz at S [...]llick, the French who were not in a condition to act otherwise than defen­sively, began to form three Bodies; the one to Rendezvouz between Qui [...]vrain and Blaton, their Front towards Mons, and Rear towards Conde, being the main Army Commanded by the Mareschal de Villeroy, who was declared by the French King General of His Army in Flanders, in the place of Mareschal Duke of Luxemburg, who dyed of a Pleurisie at Versailles the latter end of December, with the Reputation of a Great and Renown'd General, having had very great Success in this War at the Battle of Fleury, his Attack upon our Rear at Leuze, the Shock at Steenkirk, and the Battle of Landen, besides the [Page 19] Sieges of Mens, Namur and Charleroy. In the last Holland Wars, he had the misfortune to be witness to the taking of Philipsburg by the Duke of Lorrain, after a Siege of three Moneths, which occasioned several Lampoons to be made upon him; but nevertheless, if he met with any disadvantages 'twas not for want of Courage, and his Actions in the precedent Campagnes of this War have acquir'd him the Name of one of the most Famous Generals▪ I do not say it to lessen his Chara­cter, that he has Commanded in the flourishing of the French Power and Greatness, when they had Armies to act offensively, and to command the Field, and that he is dead just at the turn­ing of the scale to the Allies. He is dead, and no body knows what he could have done in the change of this Last Campagne more than others. The second Army of the French Rendez­vouz'd at Gosselies near Charleroy, designed, I suppose, at first to defend the passages of the Sambre: This Army consisted all of Horse and Dragoons, being about 70 Squadrons, Commanded by the Mareschal de Bouflers. The third gathered by Furnes, consisting of 18 Battalions, Commanded by Monsieur de Montal, one of the first Lieutenant-Generals of France, and who pre­tended to a Mareschals Staff in the last Creation of 1693. He missed it; for which reason he did not serve neither in that nor the following Campagne: But in this the French King gave him the Government of Dunkirk, and the Commission to be General in Chief of a separate Body, which he was to Command inde­pendently from the Mareschals of France, according to the Di­rections he should receive from the Court. Besides this, the Marquis de Har [...]urt had a little Flying Army the other side of the Meuse, consisting of about 30 Squadrons, in the Frontier of Luxemburg. I have not seen the List of this, nor of Bou­flers, nor Montals Armies; but that of the main Army Com­manded by the Mareschal de Villeroy, has been Published, of which I shall insert a Copy in this place: But first I shall pre­mise, That the Mareschal de Villeroy having received his Instru­ctions from the French Court, arriv'd at Valenciennes the 16th, where he was met, to confer about Affairs, by the Mareschal de Bouflers from Li [...]e. The 17th the Mareschal de Villeroy came to Courtray, and visited the New Lines as far as Ipre, and [Page 20] after that went to the Camp between Blaton and Quievrain, to put himself at the head of the Army, where he was soon fol­low'd by the Princes of the Blood, and among the rest by the Count de Tholouse, who made his first Campagne this Year. The Mareschal de Villeroy review'd the Army, of which, as I have now said, this List has been published.

LIST of the French Army Commanded by the Ma­reschal de Villeroy at the beginning of the Campagne, 1695.

RIGHT WING.

First Line.
  • The Duke de Chartres, Gene­ral of Horse.
  • Rosen and Gassion, Lieutenant-Generals.
  • Duc de Roquelaure, Major-Gen.
    Brigades Regim. Squad.
    Asfeld Dragoons Colonel General 3
    Asfeld French 3
    Fimarcon 3
    Re [...]eville Horse Granadiers 1
    Noailles 2
    Duras Life▪ 2
    Lorges Guards 2
    Villeroy 2
    Gen d' Armes 1
    Chevaux legers 1
    Grand Monsquet. 2
    Mongon Cuirassiers 3
    Bourgogne 3
    Roquepine 3
    Rot [...]m­bourg Rottembourg 3
    Berry 2
    Cravats 3
      Squadrons 39
Second Line.
  • Montrevel, Lieutenant-General.
  • Montmorencey, Luxembourgh, and Pracontal, Major-Gene­rals.
    Brigades. Regim. Squad.
    Blanche­fort Royal Alleman 3
    Anjou 2
    Bourbon 2
    Cosse 2
    Tiessen­hausen Furstemburg 2
    Fiates 3
    Imecourt 3
      Dauriac 3
    Sully 3
    Pujols 3
    Massot Melun 3
    Bissy 3
    Massot 3
      Squadrons 35

Body of FOOT.

First Line.
  • The Prince of Conti, and the Duke of Berwick, Lieute­nant-Generals.
  • Messieurs d' Artagnan, and Crequi, Major-Generals.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
    Lux Piedmont 3
    Provence 2
    Charôt Bourbonnois 2
    Vermandois 2
    La Marche 1
    Dantin Crussoll 1
    Languedoc 2
    Monroux 1
    Cadrieux Humiers 2
    Toulouse 2
    Fourille Guards (French) 4
    Guards (Swisse) 3
    Th [...]y Du Maine 2
    Rousillon 2
    Bourbon 1
    Villeroy Chartres 2
    Royal Italien 1
    Lyonnois 1
    Surville du Roy   4
    Guiche Guiche 2
    Navarre 3
      Battalions 43
Second Line.
  • Rubantel and Feuquieres, Lieutenant-Generals.
  • Solr [...] and Albergoty, Major-Generals.
    Brigades. Regim. Battal.
    Surlaub [...] Poitou 2
    Surlaube 2
    Saint Second 1
    Greder Greder Alleman 2
    Angoulesme 1
    Montferrat 1
    Tessé 1
    Surbeck Swisse Reynold 4
    Surbeck 4
    Courtin 2
    Reynold Artois 1
    Lionnois 1
    Perigeux 1
    Royal Savoy 1
    D'ormesson Berry 1
    Irish Guards 2
    Orleans 2
      Battalions 29

LEFT WING.

First Line.
  • The Dukes of Bourbon and Du Maine, Lieutenant-Generals.
  • The Duke of Elbeuf, and Monsieur de Vandeuil, Major-Generals.
    Brigades. Regim. Squad.
    Souternon Du Roy 3
    Chartres 2
    Toulouse 2
    Villeroy 2
    Prâlin Royal Roussillon 3
    Villequier 2
    Villars 3
      Carabiniers 8
    Cheladet Rohan 2
    Du Maine 2
    Orleans 2
    Mestre de Ca Gen. 3
    Dauvray Drag. Frontenay 3
    Dauvray 3
    La Reine 3
      Squadrons 43
Second Line.
  • Lieutenant-General, Busca.
  • Major-General, Count [...].
    Brigades. Regim. Squad.
      Clermon [...] 3
    Manderscheid 3
    Saint Lieu 3
      Vaillac 3
    Quadt 3
    Champlin 3
    Lagny Conflans 3
    Lagny 3
    La Reine 3
      Squadrons 27
With the Artillery Three Bat­tallions, viz.
  • Royal Artillery 2
  • Bombardiers 1
  • Battallions 3
  • Total of Battallions 75
  • Of Squadrons 147

[Page 23] According to this List the Mareschal de Villeroy had at the General Rendezvouz of his Army 147 Squadrons, which at 120 per Squadron Horse and Dragoons one with another makes 17640 Horse; and 75 Battalions, at 600 a Battalion, makes 45000 Foot; in all 62640 Men. Besides this Monsieur de la Mothe, who Commanded in the New Lines, had a body of Men to defend them, but I have not heard the strength of it; how­ever when the Mareschal de Villeroy march'd in the Lines, being reinforced by this Body, he was then computed to be near 90 Battalions strong, besides the Army Commanded by Monsieur de Montal; and 'twas then supposed that all these Armies added together made about 98850 effective Men. They had left [...]0 Battalions in Namur, which with the Body Commanded by the Marquis de Harcourt in the Frontier of the Pais de Lux [...]mburg, they thought sufficient to make head against the Brandenburg Forces towards the M [...]use: So that if we include the strong Garrison of Namur, there could not be 20000 Men difference between their Armies and ours.

Thus having made as just an estimation as possibly I could of the Forces on both sides, which (considering that I cannot get all the Li [...]ts of the Enemies Forces) I must confess can't be so exact of their side as 'tis of ours; but I compute their Strength according to the general Rules at the beginning of a Campagne. I shall now return to our Camp at Arseel, and proceed to give an account of the Actions of these mighty Armies. Though the King ordered the general Rendezvouz of his Forces in this place, and that the Elector himself advanced towards the Scheld, yet it is very reasonable to think that at the very be­ginning of the Campagne, the Kings real design was to besiege Namur, and to act towards the Meuse. For the Elector of Bavaria had Orders to detach my Lord of Athlone with 40 Squadrons of Horse towards Louvain; and Flanders, of this side of the Lys, being a close Woody Country, which made Horse not so necessary to us as it was to the Elector at Ninove, the Marquis de la Forest was commanded the First of June with she Brigades of Schack, Boncourt and Montigny, which made our Left Wing of Horse, to reinforce the Elector of Bavaria's [Page 24] Army; June. and the Brigades of Coy and Hompes were ordered from the Right to the Left Wing, in their place. The same day Brigadier Erle was commanded with a Detachment of 1700 Men to Rouselar and Rombeck; our Pioneers had made the way for the Army to march by Inghelmonster and Mulenbeck, and this Detachment was made to cover our March the next day, and to keep in the Parties of Ipre and Menin. In the Evening we were joyn'd by the Regiments of Lauder and Offerrel from Deins [...], and the Regiments of Strathnaver and George Hamilton remained there in Garrison under the Command of Brigadier Offerrel, being reinforced by a Detachment from our Army Commanded by a Colonel.

The [...]d the Army march'd in four Colomnes from Arseel to Rouselar, dividing from the Center. The Right of Horse and Foot marched upon the Right in two Colomnes. The first left Thielt upon the Right, and so march'd on by the Villages of Pet [...]em, Hardoye and Baveren. The second march'd through Thielt, and so by the Villages of Ayeghem and Colscamp, and the High Road from Bruges to Rouselar. The Left of Foot and Horse marched likewise upon the Right in two Colomnes; the first led by the Regiment of Noyelles, and the second by that of L'Ecluse. The first Colomn of the Left marched by the cut ways upon the Left of the High Road by Denterghem, Mulen­beck, and Rouselar, along the Mandel; and the second kept the High-way. The Artillery and Baggage marched in the Rear of the first Colomn of the Right by Thielt, Ardoye, and Baveren, and so the Army came to the Camp at Rouselar, where the King took his Quarter; our Right at Hooghleed, and our Left near Rombeck, as the last Year; only we were more advanced towards Ipre; and Orders were given to march the next day. The third the Army marched to Becelar near the Enemies Line between Ipre and the Lys. The first Line upon the Right by Roosebeck, Passendal, and the Abbey of Sonnebeck, and the second upon the Left by the High Road from R [...]uselar to Moorsleede: We made a Detachment of Four Hundred Dragoons towards Menin, which was not far from our Left Flank, to cover our March: They met with a Party of the [Page 25] Enemies Dragoons, which they pursued to the very Palissades of Menin, and brought back Twenty Three Prisoners. Cap­tain Stanhop, a Voluntier in this Campagne, had a Horse shot under him in this occasion. The Army marched in this order in the Enemies Countrey without any loss, and incamped with our Right near the Abbey of Sonnebeck; our Left made an el­bow from the Center at the Village of Becelar towards Moor­sleede and Dadyseel. So that our Camp faced from the Right to Becelar, towards the Line between Ipre and Comines; and from Becelar to the Left towards the Lys and Menin. The Dragoons of the Left faced to Moorsleede, covering the Kings Quarter, which was at the Baron de Becelars House, and St. Pauls Brigade, which had the Rear-Guard in this March, in­camped also at the Kings Quarter, with some of the Life-Guards and Dragoons. Upon our coming to this Camp, in the Even­ing the King went to view the Enemies Line, being about three English Miles from our Camp, with a good Escorte of Horse Commanded by Brigadier L'Etang, and all the Granadiers that were then come up (for the Second Line was still march­ing into the Camp) Commanded by Major-General La Meloniere, and the English by Colonel Ingoldesby and Lieutenant-Colonel Rook. Villeroy was not then come up, and what Forces the Enemy had in the Line, which were Commanded at first by Monsieur de la Mothe, were now under the Comma [...]d of Lieu­tenant-General Rosen, who with a Detachment of Villeroys Army had March'd before to reinforce the Line, which was very well Palissaded, and the Parapet very thick and strong flank'd with good Redoubts, and Cannon mounted for the de­fence of them. The King returned late to the Camp, and our Artillery, Baggage, and Rear-Guard, was not all come up by Midnight. Orders were given to be ready to March the next Day.

The Mareschal de Villeroy March'd from his Camp between Blaton and Quievrain (the 27th of May) to Leuze, and the 29th he March'd nearer to the Scheld, having his Head Quarter at Cordes, to be nearer to observe our Army at Arseel, accord­ing to its motions, if it passed the Lys, or Marched on towards Rouselar. The 3 [...]th he made the Detachment, of which we [Page 26] have now spoken, to reinforce the Lines; and upon our motion to Rouselar, and so towards their Line between Ipre and Comines, he passed the Scheld and the Lys with all diligence, and incamp­ed with the main Body of his Army (that very Night we came to Becelar) within the Line, with his Right at Sulebeck near Ipre, his Left at Comines, and the Head Quarter at Houthem near the Lys. The French had provided in the Winter for such quick Marches by making Royal Ways (as they call them) where a Squadron can march a breast, from Mons to the Sea, to facilitate the Marches of the Army, cutting and pulling down all they met, without any regard to Houses or Villages, if they happened in the Line of the Royal Way. At the same time that the Mareschal de Villeroy March'd with the Main Army to­wards Ipre, to make head against our Forces, the Mareschal de Bouflers, who was incamped at Gosselies near the Sambre, March'd with the Body under his Command to St. Guilain, to observe the Elector of Bavaria, who incamped near Ninove. The 4th in the Morning the General beat for the Army to be ready to March, and the King went again very early with a strong Detachment, to observe the Enemies Countenance within their Line; Colonel Lauder Commanded the English. His Majesty found the Main Body of the Enemies Army incamped within the Line, which had passed the Lys in the Night at Comines, and came to incamp between Houthem and Sulebeck. Upon the Kings approach to their Line with so considerable a Detach­ment, the Enemy thought that it had been the Vanguard of our Army coming to attack their Line; for which reason they all immediately stood to their Arms: But Villeroy being come with his Army within the Line, the King returned to the Camp, and our Army did not stir from Becelar.

But though there was no probability of success in forcing the Enemies in their Lines, yet it was convenient for our further designs to oblige them to bring all their Forces for the defence of them; for which reason the Elector of Bavaria decamped from Ninove the 4th, and March'd that Day to St. Lievens Houthem, towards the Scheld. The 5th His Electoral Highness [Page 27] passed the Scheld below Audenarde, and incamped near this place. The 6th he March'd with his Army, and incamped near the Enemies Line, between the Lys and the Scheld, with his Right at Tighem towards Courtray, and his Left between Veermande and Kirkhove, and his Quarter at Castres. Monsieur de Montrevel, Lieutenant-General, had been left here with a Body of Foot for the defence of the Line from Courtray to the Scheld, but upon this March of the Electors, the Mareschal de Bouflers (who had advanced from Gosselies to St. Guilain, upon Villeroys passage of the Scheld in order to observe the motions of the Electors Army) March'd with his Body of Horse and Dragoons to Tournay, where he passed the Scheld, and so went on to the Line, where he found a Reinforcement of Foot sent him by the Mareschal de Villeroy, and took his Quarter at Clare. So that the Enemies had now all their Forces in the Field (ex­cept Harcourts Camp volant) from the Scheld to the Neighbour­hood of Dunkirk, for the defence of their Lines. The Mares­chal de Bouflers Commanded between the Lys and the Scheld. Villeroy with the Main Army, observed ours between the Lys and Ipres. Monsieur de la Mothe cover'd the Canal from Ipre to the Kenoque; and from thence to Furnes and Dunkirk, Montal Commanded; and Monsieur de Capestan was put into the Kenoque, for the security of that place. Besides this the Ene­mies reinforced the Garrison of Ipres, where they doubled the Posts, and took a particular care for the Sas of Bonsingue, which is a Sluys strongly fortified upon the Canal about a League below Ipres, which if once master'd, all the Water about Ipres, which adds very much to its strength, may be drawn away by letting loose this Sluys.

This being the disposition of the Enemies within their Lines, I shall return to speak of our own Affairs at our Camp at Be­celar. The 5th Major-General Dopf, Quarter-Master General of the Army, was sent with a strong Detachment to mark a Camp at St. Janstein cappelle, which made us expect that the Army should have March'd towards Dixmuyde, or the Canal of Ipres; but I believe it was to order the March of our design'd Detachments to Dixmuyde. The same day the Second Troop [Page 28] of Guards Commanded by the Duke of Ormond, came to the Camp, having been in Winter-Quarters at Breda, and Can­ton'd upon the Country to refresh their Horses, after having Escorted His Majesty from Breda to Ghent. The same day our Bread-Waggons were attack'd by a Party upon the way to Bruges, but the Party was repulsed, and Five and Twenty of the Enemies made Prisoners. The Country all along, till you come near Bruges, was so close and woody, and so convenient for lurking Parties, that our Convoys never missed but they were attack'd by some Party or other, which though they could gain nothing, but still had the worse, yet that incommoded our Camp very much, by the great Detachments we were still obliged to make, being then Eight Leagues from Bruges, and Eleven from Ghent; so that at first, Provisions were not plen­tiful among us, but that was soon taken care of by having re­gular Convoys from the Camp to Bruges: Besides the Boors of the Country had Orders to bring in Provisions upon pain of being plunder'd, which they did very willingly, not looking upon us as Enemies, but Friends; being very desirous to be freed from the French Yoke, under which they have been ever since the Treaty of Nimeguen, that Ipres with its Chatelleni [...] was quitted to the French. Our Camp was not above a League and a half from Ipres, between Ipres and Menin; so that our Patrouilles of Horse went sometimes to the Palissades of the Town. We heard, that though the Enemies had provided for the defence of this place as well as their Line, yet they were apprehensive of a Bombardment, and began to unpave their Streets, which we could as easily have done before Villeroys face, as he afterwards Bombarded Brussels in the presence of Prince Vaudemont, of which Exploit they brag'd so much in France. But though the French Kings Manifesto charges us with making it our principal glory of late to Bombard his Ma­ritime places, without any other advantage but that of doing mischief; yet if that had been the Temper of the Allies as much as it is of our Enemies, I believe that Ipres might have felt the malignity of our Temper as well as Brussels did that of the French.

[Page 29] The 7th the Duke of Wirtemberg, with Colonel Gohr of our Train of Artillery, went Very early in the Morning with a good Escorte to Dixmuyde; and the same day Bannieres Brigade was detach'd to the Right to incamp near the Abbey of Sonne­beck, to guard the Avenues from Ipres to our Camp, and keep in the Enemies Parties. The 8th Major-General Churchill and Brigadier Bernstorf were commanded with Eight Battallions to March, and reinforce the Duke of Wirtembergs Army near Dix­muyde. The Regiments were the First Battallion of Dutch Guards, Churchill, Granville, Ingoldesby, Danish Guards, Prince Philippe, Gohr-Holland and Bernstorf; upon which mo­tion of Wirtembergs to Dixmuyde, the Mareschal de Villeroy sent a Reinforcement to the Kenoque, expecting an attempt upon that place; and Montal himself came with his Body to Loo between Furnes and Kenoque, to be at hand for the defence of it. The 9th by break of day, a Detachment of Three Hun­dred of the Enemies Granadiers, and Six Squadrons of Horse, came with a design to surprize our advanced Guard at the Windmill of Geluvelt between Becelar and Comines. We had here an Out-guard of Four Squadrons of Horse, and a Detach­ment of One Hundred Foot; but in the Night (the top of the Hill being open and exposed to the Enemy) they retir'd to some Houses and Defiles in the bottom to prevent the Enemies de­signs. This Detachment of the Enemies finding their design frustrated, retired to their Lines, and Two of them deserted over to us, taking this opportunity to make their escape; for though desertion is very common among the French, yet being incamped within their Lines, the passages were so kept that they could not desert but by such shifts; and these were the first that came in since our being at Becelar, so near the Enemies. The same day Brigadier Fitspatrick, Colonel of His Majesties Fusiliers, came to the Camp from England, where he had re­mained ever since the Battle of Landen, where he was dange­rously wounded; and in the Evening our Voluntiers went to joyn the Duke of Wirtembergs Army design'd to make an attempt upon the Kenoque.

[Page 30] The Duke of Wirtemberg who had left our Army at Becelar the 7th very early in the Morning, arriv'd at Dixmuyde by Nine of the Clock; immediately after his arrival he Muster'd the Forces incamped near this place, consisting, as we have said before, of Nineteen Battallions and Two Squadro [...]s of Horse, and Eight of Dragoons; and immediately after the Review, he ordered them to march towards the Fort of Kenoque, and gave the plunder of the Boors between Dixmuyde and this place to the Soldiers, in revenge of some which they had bar­barously murder'd In the Evening the Duke came with his Army near Kenoque, which is but a good League and a half from Dixmuyde, and incamped before the place, having his Quarter at New Cappelle, his Right upon the Canal that goes from Kenoque to Loo and Furnes, and his Left upon the Canal from Kenoque to Dixmuyde. This is a very strong hold, si­tuated at the meeting of the Canal of Loo (which goes to Furnes and Dunkirk) and the Canal of Dixmuyde and Ipres, which makes as 'twere the figure of a [...]. Just upon the point of the joyning of these Canals, there is a very strong Bastion in the very middle, with the water cut about it, making a very large and deep Fossé. The Canals of Dixmuyde and Loo towards Dixmuyde, and of the other side towards Bruges, has very good counter-guards which defend the approach of the Digue near this Bastion; and of the French side between Furnes and Ipres, this Bastion is covered with a sort of Horn-work with a boggy Morass before it; so that there is no coming into the Fort but by a way made upon the top of the Digue. The other side of the Canal toward Bruges is covered with a Morass and standing water, which makes it inaccessible▪ The most accessible side, where the Duke of Wirtemberg was, between the Canal of Loo and Dixmuyde, has besides the Counter-Guards of which we have now spoken, which cover the Basti­on, several Retrenchments all along the Digue of the Canal, till you come to a Draw-Bridge towards Loo. But however this is nothing to resist an Army, unless there is a Body of Men of the Enemies side of the Canals to hinder the taking of the Posts about it, which would then be soon beaten to pieces. This is a [Page 31] great passage into the Enemies Countrey, it being open from this to St. Omer; besides it commands the Communication be­tween Ipres and Dunkirk, and would secure Furnes in our hands, which consequently would make Dunkirk a Frontier, and ex­pose it to a Siege. Every body knows the consequence of it, if we should take it, and therefore the Enemies will still use their utmost endeavours not to hazard it, by keeping this Post and Furnes in their hands. This place, upon the approach of the Duke of Wirtemberg with his Army, was commanded by Mon [...]ieur de Capestan, a Major of Foot. And that which con­firmed the Enemies of our real design against this place was▪ that we had taken care before to have a Plan of it, some Inge­niers having been sent on purpose to Dixmuyde the last March, who went with a good Detachment from that Garrison, Com­manded by a Lieutenant, Colonel and Major, to observe it. The Garrison of Kenoque sallied out upon them, and attacked that Post where Major Rapin of Belcastels Regiment had been placed, and he had the misfortune to be killed in the action; but this Detachment being reinforced from the Neighbouring Posts, the Enemies were obliged to retire, after having lost a Captain, and some other Officers wounded, besides Soldiers. And this little place was then so unprovided for such engage­ments, that they were forced to send a Drum to Dixmuyde for a Surgeon to dress their wounded Men, because this Garrison consisted only of Detachments from Ipres relieved from time to time, and so they had no Surgeons.

Upon the Duke of Wirtembergs arrival here the 7th, we be­gan to make Trenches to cover our selves, being incamped al­most within Musket-shot of the Enemies Works, and we mounted our Guards towards the Enemy with Two Thousand Five Hundred Men upon the several Posts, Commanded by a Brigadier and other Officers proportionably. This Army was divided in Four Brigades, Two of English Commanded by Co­lonel Tiffeny and Sir James Lesley, who acted as Brigadiers, be­ing eldest Colonels; the third by Brigadier Haxhausen, compo­sed of Danes, and the Regiments of Auer and Belcastel; and the fourth of Dutch, Commanded by Brigadier Bernstorf, who [Page 32] came here with Major-General Churchill. The 9th in the Morn­ing the Enemies fired very briskly upon our Men, but without any damage. In the Afternoon Major-General Churchill came to the Camp with his Eight Battallions, having passed through Dixmuyde that Morning. In the Evening the Duke of Wirtem­berg ordered an attack to beat the Enemies from a Retrenchment, and some Houses upon our Right near the Canal of Loo, the whole was Commanded by Colonel Tiffeny as Brigadier, and the Granadiers by Colonel Maitland. Colonel Tiffeny was upon the Right, and the Enemies fired very hard upon him from a Fort of the other side of the Canal, which he returned very bravely: He himself was wounded through the Hand with a Musket-shot, and Major-General Churchill who was willing to have a share in the Action, escaped very narrowly, being shot through the crown of his Hat with a Musket-ball. Colonel Maitland who was to dislodge the Enemy with his Granadiers, did it with all the Success and Conduct that could be wish'd, and the Men went on with a great deal of Bravery and Courage, and drove the Enemy from their Post, which they endeavour'd in vain to recover two or three times successively, coming on with Sword in hand. We had several Granadiers killed and wounded. Colonel Tiffenys and Fergusons Regiments lost most in this Action. Of Colonel Fergusons Regiment, Captain Trumbal was killed, Major Bruce of Maitlands wounded, and an Ensign killed▪ I have not seen the List of Colonel Tiffenys, but it was generally computed that our whole loss in this Action amounted to about Four Hundred Men killed and wounded, but they grew almost to Thousands by that time they came in the Paris Gazette, which certainly could not fall without some slaughter among the Enemies. We had three small pieces of Cannon which played during this Attack, which is the onely Cannon we fir'd against the place: The small Shot was indeed very brisk on both sides, the whole Night, and we could hear it very plain from our Camp at Becelar: And though it does not appear that we had any real design against this place, but only to amuse the Enemy, yet it was necessary for us to make this Attack because the Posts from whence we drove the Enemy [Page 33] were very inconvenient to us upon our Right. The Duke of Wirtemberg had some Artillery from Dixmuyde, with Morter-pieces and Bombs, but 'twas never taken out of the Boats to mount upon the Batteries, except the three Field-pieces now mentioned. This Artillery had been sent by Water from Sas van Ghendt, besides a great quantity of Ammunitions, with the rest of our English battering pieces, which remained under the Walls of Ghendt, without being sent any farther. Monsieur de Montal, upon this motion of the Duke of Wirtembergs, had advanced between the Canal of Loo and that of Ipres, to defend this place, and to hinder our passage of the Canals to invest it; so that nothing could be undertaken without the bringing of both Armies to wrangle about this Post, and ours to attack up­on very disadvantageous terms▪ So that after this attack of the 9th there happened nothing extraordinary before the Kenoque, but only in the Night they generally fired pretty briskly to hinder our Men from making any approaches, and their Artil­lery played ten times to our once; hovvever the Duke of Wirtemberg still continued there to keep the Enemies in sus­pence.

As for what passed of the Elector of Bavaria's side, which we have left incamped before the Enemies Line between Cour­tray and the Scheld, with his Head Quarter at Castres, between Tighem and Kirkhove, he made upon his arrival here great pre­parations of Fascines, as if he had designed to attack the Line: And the 8th he went with Three Thousand Horse and Dragoons to observe the Enemies Works. They had an out-post at a Mill without their Line near St. Denis, which hindered our approach, which Major-General Fagel was ordered to attack with the By­wacht of the Army (that is a Captain, Lieutenant, and Ensign, and Sixty Men of every Regiment, which are still ready to march out upon any occasion, with Field-Officers proportion­ably) and with the Granadiers. The Enemies had here a good Detachment, commanded with a Lieutenant-Colonel, and the Post was strong, and they disputed it some time, but at last were forced to abandon it. Count Volkerstein of the Elector of Bavaria's Guards was killed upon this occasion. As for the [Page 34] loss of both sides, I have not seen an account of it. The Ele­ctor of Bavaria after this Action continued in his Camp at Castres, and we at Becelar, still leaving the Enemies in doubt, whether we should attack them in their Lines, whilst matters were preparing for an important undertaking.

Whilst we continued in our Camp at Becelar, Forrage vvas not very plentiful, nothing being to be had here but Grass. The Country hereabouts is altogether Woody, with little Arable Land, and yet most of that remained untill'd (some said) by order, to hinder the subsisting of our Armies near this place. The 10th the Enemy, who had hitherto Forrag'd with­in their own Lines, ventured to forrage without, which occa­sioned some deserting among their Men, who wanted that op­portunity within their Lines. The 11th the Fourth Troop of Guards Commanded by Monsieur d' Auverquerque, with the Horse Granadiers, came to the Camp, the first having been in Winter-Quarters at the Hague, and the last at Boisleduc. The 13th our Cavalry forrag'd towards Ipres; and this being a close Country, and just by an Enemies Garrison, the Troopers went on foot to cut down their Forrage, which was guarded by a Detachment from the Infantry, and then the Horses were brought from the Camp to fetch the Forrage ready made up in [...]Trusses; by which precaution we forrag'd thus almost to the Gates of Ipres without losing One Horse; and indeed though this Country is very convenient for such designs, and that our Camp was flank'd of both sides, with Ipres upon the Right, and Menin and Courtray upon the Left, and the Enemies Line in our Front, yet we lost but very few Horses, there being still good Guards upon the Woods to cover our grazing, which was still done by order. The 14th the King was informed that the Enemies had a design upon our Bread-Waggons coming from Bruges, and that they were to fall upon them at Rouselar; for which reason my Lord Essex was detached with Five Hundred Dragoons to joyn our Convoy at Rouselar, and my Lord Port­land went with Five Hundred Dragoons more Commanded un­der his Lordship by Brigadier Wynne, sustained by some Horse, to endeavour to meet with the Enemies upon their way, being [Page 35] advised that they were to pass that Evening by Moorsleede; accordingly my Lord Portland overtook them in this place, and the Dragoons had orders to dismount and attack them, which they did with a great deal of Courage. The Enemies were Commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel, about Four Hundred strong; they had made some Barricades of Waggons, which they defended no longer than to gain time to make their escape; but notwithstanding, a Captain with about Thirty Men remain­ed Prisoners, and they had several killed and wounded▪ The fire was very hot for above half an hour, and the Count de Soissons, who was here as Voluntier, very much incouraged our Men, and was very well pleased with their way of falling on. Count de Soissons is Brother to the Prince Eugene of Savoy, Velt-Mareschal General of the Emperours Forces in Piemont, and a near Kinsman to the Duke of Savoy. The French King would oblige him to serve in Piemont with his Regiment against the Duke of Savoy, which he refused, and quitted, and retired, with the French Kings leave, out of the Country: But the French King hearing he was gone into England, he was so net­led at it, that he ordered the Countess de Soissons, his Wife, immediately to leave the Kingdom. He served in our Army this whole Campagne as Voluntier, being waited upon by the Kings own Servants; and he was still with the King upon all occasions. He is a Person of a very fine Education, very civil and obliging, and very brave, which has gained him the esteem and affections of all Persons of Quality in our Army. But to return to the business of Moorsleede; Lieutenant Webb was killed in this occasion, Brother to Lieutenant-Colonel Webb of the Guards. Brigadier Wynne was wounded in the Knee, which though it was not esteemed very dangerous at first, yet he dyed afterwards of this Wound at Ghent, being generally regretted. (The King has since given his Regiment of Dragoons to Colonel Rosse, Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment who has been one of the Kings Aide de Camps the three last Campagnes. Cap­tains Collins and Holdgate were likewise wounded, both Officers of Dragoons. The next day our Convoy of Bread-Waggons came safe to the Camp; and with them my Lord Rivers Major-General of Horse, Monsieur de Zuylenstein Lieutenant-General, [Page 36] created by His Majesty Earl of Rochsord, and my Lord Cutts Brigadier, being lately come over from England. Besides the miscarriage of the Enemies upon the coming of our Bread-Waggons to the Camp, they had received the same misfortune before upon their going to Bruges, above Fifty of them having been carried Prisoners into this place by our Detachment. The 15th at Night a Party of the French fell upon an Outpost of Bannieres Brigade at Sonnebeck, where they made several Pri­soners, most of them Swissers of T [...]har [...]ers Regiment The 17th the Duke of Wirtemberg had Orders to withdraw his Forces from before Kenoque, and to march back to Dixmuyde. Nothing extraordinary happened in the attack of this place from the 9th, of which we have given an account, to the time of raising the pretended Siege; save that the 10th, Montal passed the Canal of Loo with a good Detachment of his best Troops, with a design to have surprized out Out guards; but the Duke of Wirtemberg had notice of it, and the Guards were so ordered, that upon some fire of both sides which allarme [...] the Camp, the French retreated, fearing an Ambuscade which was ready for them The 17th in the Afternoon, the Artillery and Baggage had orders to march from our Camp at Becelar to Rouselar, Escorted by Bannieres Brigade from Sonnebeck, and St. Pauls from the Kings Quarter. They marched all Night, meeting now and then with French Parties, which would have broken in upon the Line of Baggage, but the Brigades were so disposed upon the Front, Flanks, and Rear, that they were still repulsed. Orders were given for the Army to march the next Day.

The 18th the Army marched; the first Line upon the Right by Sonnebeck, Passendal, and Roosebeck, to Rouselar, the same way that we had come to this Camp; the second Line marched upon the Left, gaining by Moorsleede the high way from Menin to Rouselar. Packmoe [...]'s Brigade had the Rear-guard with seven pieces of Cannon to make good our retreat out of the Enemies Country. The King remained with the Rear-guard to see all safely march off Villeroy had a great mind to have fallen upon our Rear in this March; having upon notice of it ordered a [Page 37] Detachment of many Squadrons of his best Horse and Dra­goons, with which he marched very early out of the Line to observe our motion, directing his way from Ipres towards the Windmill of Gel [...]velt, to have come into our Camp by Becelar. But such was the order of our March, that he was obliged to see us march quietly off. That day we came to Rousela, with our Camp as before between Hooghleed and Rombeck; Bannieres Brigade incamped upon the Right before the Village of Hoogh­leed, where Prince Vaudemont had his Quarter. The Army halted the next day, but matters being ready for the great and glorious undertaking of this Campagne, the King left the Camp at Rouselar very early the 19th in the Morning, to go towards the Meuse, with the Troops of Life-Guards of Ormond and Auverquerque, the Horse Granadiers, my Lord Portlands Regi­ment of Horse, and Dopfs Dragoons Commanded by Brigadier L'Etang: The main of which Body kept with the Kings Do­mesticks and Baggage, but His Majesty had a sufficient Escorte to hasten on before.

We had made great preparations at Maestricht of Artillery, Mortars, Bombs, and all manner of Ammunitions; and all the Boats of the Meuse at Liege, Maestricht, and Huy, were detain­ed for the States Service. And tho' all this threatned Namur, yet the French had brought all their Forces within their Lines, without keeping any Body to guard the passages of the Sambre: Whether it was that they thought Villeroys, Bouflers, and Mon­tals Forces were but sufficient to defend their Lines against the King and the Elector of Bavaria's; or that they depended upon the strength of Namur, and the goodness of the Garrison in it, and the difficulty of a Siege; They left the Sambre unfurnished of Troops. But His Majesty expected only the junction of the Brandenburg and Liege Forces to invest Namur. Six Battallions of Brandenburghs had had their Winter-Quarters at Liege, and some at Aix la chapelle, but the Cavalry and the rest of the Foot had Winter'd in the Diocess of Cologne, and at Cleves, and Wesel in the Lower Rhine; so that they did not Rendezvouz by Liege till near the middle of June, that they marched with the Liege Forces Commanded by Prince Cerclas of Tilly, and in­camped at Falais, upon the Mehaigne, between Liege and Namur, [Page 38] waiting for His Majesties farther Orders. And my Lord of Athlone, with his Forty Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons who had been detached from the Elector of Bavaria's Camp at Ni­nove for the same design, had marched to Tilmont to be ready to joyn them. In the mean while Prince Vaudemont, who Com­manded the Army at Rouselar since the King left it to take care of the Siege of Namur, marched the 20th to draw nearer to Ghent. The Army marched upon the Left (siding the River Mandel which we had upon our Right Flank) in two Columns, by the ways we had made when we were at the Camp at Arseel, by Mulenbeck, and Inghelmonster, and so we came to the Camp at Wouterghem, our Right at Dentherghem, and Left at Gram­mon towards the Lys: We had the Mandel before us, and the height of Arseel behind our Right. Some French Parties fell upon our Maroders near the Lys, and made some Prisoners. Prince Vaudemont staid near Denterghem to see the Army march into the Camp, and every Battallion saluted passing by him, as Commander in Chief of the Army. At our Marching into this Camp, we could see the French in their Camp upon a rising ground t'other side of the Lys, by Harlebeck, being computed near three Leagues from our Camp. The Mareschal de Villeroy had passed the Lys at Comines immediately upon our March from Becclar to Rouselar, and the 19th had marched without the Line at Courtray, and incamped near this place, to be ready to pass the Scheld, if he was ordered to march towards Namur.

We have left the Brandenburg and Liege Forces incamped at Falais upon the Mehaigne, and my Lord Athlone at Tilmont, where he was reinforced with Dompres Brigade of Horse from Bils [...]n. But now they had Orders from the King to invest Na­mur. Accordingly my Lord Athlone marched the 17th with the Body of Horse under his command, and incamped between Malevr [...] and Perwys: The 18th between la Falise and Tem­ploux, where he was joyned by the Brandenburg Troops: The 19th he left a good Body of Horse at the Post of La Falise, and marched with the Main Body towards Charleroy. This motion put the Enemies in suspence, whether we should attack Namur or Charleroy: Whereupon the Marquis de Harcourt, who had [Page 39] passed the Meuse at Dinant, and was now posted between Char­leroy and Philippeville, reinforced the Garrison of Charleroy with a Body of Dragoons. But my Lord of Athlone having passed the Sambre at Chasselet below Charleroy, marched again down the Sambre towards Namur, and pressed all the Boats up­on the River to make a Bridge of Communication, which were brought down to the Abbey of Floref upon the Sambre two Leagues above Namur. Thus my Lord of Athlone took the Posts from the Sambre to the Meuse of the Town side, about La Falise; and t'other side of the Sambre, from the Abbey of Floref to the Meuse. But all the other side of the Meuse in the Pais de Condros remained open. This was the 21th. I do not know whether my Lord of Athlones Troops were not judged sufficient to invest the whole Town, which taking a vast Cir­cumference, and divided by so many Rivers, might have expo­sed any one quarter to be forced to put a Reinforcement into the Town; or whether my Lord of Athlone had Orders to take no other Posts, and to stay for the Elector to do the rest: How­ever the other side of the Meuse lying open, it gave opportu­nity to the Mareschal de Bouflers to throw himself into the place. This was with Eight Regiments of the best Dragoons in the Army. He had left his Camp at Clare within the Line the 18th, (the same day that the Elector repassed the Scheld to march to­wards Namur) and took along with him the Kings Dragoons, the Dauphins, those of Caylus, Grammont, St. Hamines, de Ganges, and du Barreau; having Orders from the French King, That if my Lord of Athlone had invested Namur with the Brandenburg Troops, and the Horse under his Command, to force his way in at any rate. But t'other side of the Meuse re­maining open, he was not put to it. The same day Bouflers repassed the Scheld at Tournay, and marched up along this River as far as Mortaigne. The 19th he came to Condé. The 20th he passed the Sambre at Thuin. The 21th he came to Dinant, where he passed the Meuse; and the 22th he got into Namur. He sent back all the Dragoons Horses, except those of the Kings, and Asfeldt Estranger, which he kept in the Town; having made very great diligence to get in before my Lord of Athlone should be joyned by the Elector of Bavaria. His get­ting [Page 40] into the place did chagrine us at first, because that (as we expected) would render the taking of the Town very difficult, by an obstinate resistance; but as it has since proved, it has added extreamly to the Glory of the Siege, and has made it one of the boldest and finest undertakings of this Age. I dare say, that if the French King had believed that we could have taken Namur with the strong Garrison that was in it, he would never have commanded a Mareschal of France to put himself in­to it to defend it, to add thereby so much the more Honour and Glory to the Enterprize; being it may be the first that has been defended by a Mareschal of France, with order from the King. The Mareschal de Crequi defended Treves, but every body knows how he was forced into it by the loss of a Battle; and this was a place of Refuge where he made his escape, and where he resolved to regain his Honour by a desperate defence.

My Lord of Athlone with the Dutch, and Baron Heyden with the Brandenburg Forces, having received Orders to take the Posts near Namur, the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Holstein Ploen marched with all speed from their Camp near the Enemies Line to form the Siege of this strong and important place. Accordingly the 18th the Electors Army decamped from Castres between Veermarde and Tighem, and repassed the Scheld below Audenarde, and marched that day as far as St. Lievens Houtheim. The 19th this Army passed the Dender at Ninove, where it incamped that night, and the Elector went to Brussels to visit the Electoress. The 20th the Army march­ed to Halle. The 21th it passed the Senne, and marched to Genap and Promell, where the Elector returned to the Camp from Brussels. The 22th the Elector passed with his Army the little River Dyle at Genap, and marched as far as Masy, within Two Leagues of Namur; which was a very great March, to pass so many Rivers, from the Enemies Line be­tween the Lys and the Scheld clear to the Sambre, in five days. The same day the King came to the Camp near Namur, and took his Quarter at the Chasteau de la Falize, within Four English Miles of this place, having left his Army at Rouselar the 19th; and that day His Majesty passed through Ghent, and lay at Diselbergh in the way to Dendermonde. The 20th through [Page 41] Dermonde, and so to Grimberg near Brussels, where the King has a House of his own. The 21th by Vilvorde and Louvain, to the Abbey of Parc [...]; and the 22th to La Falise. Brigadier L' Etang marched after with easier Journeys, escorting the Kings Domesticks and Baggage. The 23th the Elector passed the Sambre with his Foot, and some Spanish Horse, with the Dutch Brigades of Holstein Norburg and Dedem, and took his Quarter at the Abbey of Malogne upon the Sambre; and the Brandenburg Forces, Commanded by Lieutenant-General Heyden, passed the Meuse, and took their Post on the other side of this River, upon the height of St. Barbe, before the Fauxbourg de Jambe. The Duke of Holstein Ploen remained of this side of the Sambre and Meuse with the King, and the rest of the Dutch Forces. And now the Posts being taken all about Namur, be­fore the Town and the Castle, and the other side of the Meuse, 'tis from this day (23) that we must reckon the investing of it.

This place has very much changed condition since it fell into the French Kings hands, who spares no Charges to put his Frontier Garrisons in the best condition of defence. When the French took it, the Town was but weak, being absolutely com­manded by a steep Hill, which hangs just over it from the Porte de Fer to that of St. Nicholas near the Meuse; so that they had the liberty to bring down their Batteries at first upon the descent of this Hill, and to open their Trenches at the foot of it near the Meuse; and so in four or five days time they were lodged upon the Counterscarp of St Nicholas his Gate; and the Town capitulated the 26th of May, the Trench having been opened the 19th. But now to add a considerable strength to this weak part of the Town, the French had made a detach'd Bastion up­on the ascent of the Hill just before St. Nicholas's Gate, all of Stone-work, with a Casematte upon it, (that is a Corps de Garde Bomb proof) the Counterscarp of the Fosse of Free-stone, and the covered way the same, which pointed just upon the top of the Hill, so that no Cannon could bear upon this Work from the Plain upon this Hill, but we battered it in revers from the other side of the Meuse at the Brandenburg Batteries, which re­quired some time before we could bring these Batteries to the Water-side. Upon the Right of this towards the Porte de Fer, they had made two other detach'd Bastions of the same work [Page 42] just upon the brow of the Hill; and at the foot of the Hill be­fore the Porte de Fer, and between the Hill and the Brook of Verderin, they had a fourth, which hindered the Avenues between the Hills to this Gate. The Brook of Verderin runs along a narrow Valley between these Hills by a Sluyce fortified just at the Porte de Fer. It is by this Sluyce that the Fossé of the Town is furnished with Water from this Gate to that of St. Nicholas, where it's stop'd up from running into the Meuse by a Stone Digue above Ten Foot broad: For this River is so shallow and inconsiderable, that it could not otherwise fill the Fossé. The Plain upon these Hills is fortified with a double cover'd way palissaded, to defend these detach'd Bastions towards the Village of Bouge; and when we attack'd the place, they were work­ing at a third nearer to the brow of the Hill just before these works; so that this Town which before was weak, was really strong by the addition of them, and held out longer than the Castle.

The French attack'd the Castle and Cohorne upon the top of the Hill between the Sambre and the Meuse; and this they took care to fortifie afterwards, so as to leave it almost unattackable the same way they had took it before. The Cohorne, or Wil­liams Fort, fell into their hands by driving their Trenches round the work along the bottom, between it and the Terra Nova, or upper Castle, which work being embraced, and all manner of Communication cut off, was forced to surrender. The French to prevent such a method of proceeding another time, built a strong Stone Redoubt just upon the top of the Hill be­tween the Cohorne and Terra Nova, with a Casematte upon it Bomb proof; and this work commands all this bottom to the Sambre. Before this work they have made a very good cover'd way palissaded, from the Angle of the Gorge of the Cohorne to the brink of the Hill upon the Meuse. They have besides this made a very good Half-Moon upon the courtin of the Horn-work of the Terra Nova. They have fortified the Devils House, (which flanks the side of the Cohorne towards the Meuse) with a strong Stone Redoubt, which they have called the Casotte. This House, when the Spaniards had it, had but a simple Re­trenchment about it, and yet it held out four or five days. From the upper point of the Cohorne, which is towards the Meuse, they have made a very good cover'd way, which goes about be­fore [Page 43] the Casotte to the edge of the Hill upon the Meuse: And beyond all this, to cover the whole from the Sambre to the Meuse, they had undertaken a prodigious Line cut into the very Rock, all along the top of the Hill, near an English half Mile in length, terminating upon the edge of the Hill towards the Sambre, and the same Hill towards the Meuse, with two Re­doubts at each end. The Line was finished, and the Redoubt towards the Meuse was very forward; but that towards the Sambre was but just begun, which they made up with Fascines upon our arrival before this place. This Line had a very fine Gate in the middle, such as they use to make for the coming in to their Towns, but 'twas not finished. It would have been very difficult to have forced this Line from without, but the passage of the Sambre at the Ballance not being fortified by the Enemy, it made way for us to attack this Line within; which made it but a cheap bargain (as we shall tell hereafter): How­ever to add as much strength to it of this side as the time of the Siege would allow them, they made a Battery of two pieces of Cannon upon the reverse of the end of the Line towards the Sambre to fire upon the pass of the Ballance, and some Coupeures or Traverses to fortifie the inside of their Line, and a Perpen­dicular Line of Communication to the cover'd way of the Cas­sote. And indeed the Castle was so strongly fortified upon the top of the Hill with all these Outworks, that it would have been a very tedious piece of work for us to have attack'd it this way: But the weak side of the Castle and Cohorne was to­wards the Town and the Sambre, and the Enemies had not pro­vided for an Attack of this side, which made all these prodigious works fall into our hands in less time than the French had taken this place before; tho' then much inferiour to what 'tis now in Strength and Fortification.

If the Enemies had reason to depend upon the great strength of this Garrison, they had as much reason to expect a vigorous resistance from the Forces that were in it, which were very nu­merous, no less than twenty Battallions, of which some were the best reputed Regiments of France; but others, about four or five, being what they call Regiments de Salade, that is, Gar­rison Regiments, which are not fit to put into the Field. Their old Corps have generally one or two of these Battallions, where [Page 44] they train and exercise their Recruits and worse men for one Summer, and then they draw them out the Campagne follow­ing. These Regiments are always weak, and therefore cannot come up to the computation of other Battallions; but I believe that all these Battallions put together may very well be compu­ted 450 Men strong, one with another, which makes 9000 Foot; and 8 Regiments of Dragoons which march'd out 3 Standards each Regiment, which makes 24 Squadrons, which if com­pleat would amount to 2400 Dragoons; but I dare say that (considering their hasty and quick March from the Scheld to this place, by the Sambre and Dinant) they could not exceed 2000 Men. There was besides 6 Independent Companies in the Town, and Artificers, Miners, and Gunners; all which joyn'd together made about 12000 effective Men at the beginning of the Siege. But for the more particular satisfaction of the Reader, I shall here insert the List of the Garrison, commanded in Chief by the Mareschal de Bousters, known for his Zeal and Fidelity to the French King, and his active and vigilant Courage; and by the Count de Guiscard Governour of the place, a Gentleman of great Accomplishments. This last has been extreamly civil and ob­liging to our English Officers that have been at any time Prisoners at Namur. Monsieur de Laumont was Lieutenant Governour, and Brigadier; Monsieur de Megrigny Major General, and (next to Vauban) the ablest Ingenier of France, was here with a Brigade of chosen Ingeniers to look after the defence and reparation of the Fortifications, and to try their Art in the dispute of every work [...] Besides these General Officers, the Garrison had four Brigadiers, Qu [...]lus of Dragoons, Maulevrier, St. Laurens, and l' Aba [...]ie, of Foot. Their Artillery consisted of 120 pieces of Cannon and Mortars, 12000 Granades, 130000 weight of Pow­der, Ball and Bombs proportionably, 10000 spare Arms, and Provisions for six Mone [...]hs; besides, as they gave out, 10 [...]000 Crowns in Cash for the payment of the Garrison. The List whereof was as follows: Of the Dauphins Regiment, 5 Bat­tallions, commanded by the Count de Montbron Son to the Governour of Cambray, two whereof were Garrison Battallions; Beauvoisis, one Battallion, Commanded by the Count de Vi [...]ux­bourg; Royal Artillery, one Battallion, Commanded by Brigadier St. Laurens; Maulevrier, two Battallions, Commanded by Bri­gadier [Page 45] Count de Maulevrier; Bugey, one Battallion; Haynault, one Battallion; Solre, one Battallion; Court-Swisse, one Battal­lion; Foix, Commanded by Count Morstein, one Battallion; La Marre, one Battallion; Nice one Battallion; Piemont, three Battallions; Navarre, one Battallion. I have given an account of the Dragoons before, which I need not repeat here These were indeed by much the best Troops of the Garrison, and were generally very brisk Soldier-like Fellows, and very well accou­ter'd; As for their Independent Companies, they were in no ex­traordinary condition, neither have I seen an account of them.

After we had invested Namur, in order to form this important Siege, my Lord of Athlone was detach'd with most of the Ca­valry to the Plains of Fleury, and so to the Pieton, to consume the Forrage thereabouts, and between Charleroy and Mons. We kept no more Horse in the Siege than was necessary for Convoys, Pa­trouilles, and to carry Fascines for the Works and Trenches. And this place being so strong, and the Posts about it of such a great circumference, and over two considerable Rivers, that it could not be besieged but by a numerous and strong Army, His Majesty ordered a good Reinforcement from Prince Vaudemonts Army, which we have left incamped at Wouterghem According­ly on the 21th Major-General Ramsay was commanded with Bri­gadier Fitspatrick, to march towards Namur with 14 Battallions, being the First Battallion of the First Regiment of English Guards, the First Battallion of the Scots Guards, the First Battallion of the Royal Regiment, Selwyn, Seymour, Rada, Fusiliers, Collingwood, Lauder, Saunderson, Zeeland, Hanover Guards, Arents, and Weed. The same day ( 21st) the D. of Wirtemberg having left the Enter­prize of the Kenoque the 17th, came to the Camp at Wouterghem with the 8 Battallions Major-Gen. Churchill had commanded thi­ther, and 11 more from Dixmuyde, of which some came that day with the Duke, and others came some days after; which made in all 19 Battallions: The 1 [...] Battallions from Dixmuyde were, Tid­comb, Courthop, Belcastel, Jutland, the Queen of Denmark, Mait­land, Ferguson, Tiffeny, Buchan, Soutland [...] and St. Amand, besides Tennagels Regiment of Horse, and the Kings Dragoons; so that of the 27 Battallions we had before the Ke [...]oque, commanded by the D. of Wirtemberg, 8 remain'd in Garrison at Dixmuyde, with the Queens Dragoons, under the Command of Major-General [Page 46] Ellemberg. Our loss before the Kenoque amounted to 587 Soldiers killed and wounded, besides Officers. In Tiffenys Brigade, composed of the Regiments of Churchill, Granville, Ingoldesby, Maitland, Ferguson, Tiffeny, Lorne, and Buchan, 3 Officers kill'd, 32 wounded, and 337 Soldiers killed and wounded. In Lesleys Brigade, made up of the Regiments of Brewer, Tidcomb, Courthop, Lesleys, and Graham, 20 Soldiers killed and wounded. In Bern­storss Brigade, in which were the Regiments of Bernstorf, Holle, Young Holstein, Prince Philip, St. Anand, Soutland, Reinhard, and Gohr, 2 Officers kill'd, 3 wounded, and 208 Soldiers kill'd and wounded. In Haxhuysens Brigade, made up of the Regiments of Belcastel, Auer, Prince Christian, Queen of Denmark, 22 Sol­diers kill'd and wounded. The Dutch and Danish Guards did Duty upon the D. of Wirtemberg, and did not rolle with the rest.

Major-General Ramsay having been detach'd the 21th with Brigadier Fitspatrick, and 14 Battallions, to hasten towards Na­mur, march'd that day near Ghent, and incamp'd at Marykirk. The 22th he march'd through Ghent, and incamp'd at Erp near Alost. The 23th he march'd to Vilvorde, where Count Nassaw, Lieutenant-General, came to put himself at the head of this De­tachment. The 24th to Velthem, near Louvain. The 25th through Louvain; and so we incamp'd in the Retrenchments we made last Year at Tourine Bavechein, from whence Lieutenant-Colonel Macartney was sent to the King to receive further Orders; and the 26th we march [...]d to Perwys. Lieutenant-Colonel Macartney returned with Orders to halt the next day. We were then rein­forc'd by the Regiments of Tidcomb, Stanley and Maitland, be­sides the First Battallion of Dutch Guards, which had come strait from Dixmuyde, and march [...]d this day to the Camp before Namur. The same day Brigadier St. Paul came up to Perwys, with the Hanover Regiments of [...]t Paul, Cinqvill [...]s, and Hulsen. They had left Prince Vaudemo [...]ts Camp the 22th. The 28th Count Nassau and Major-General Ramsay march'd to Temploux with the Body under their command, within a League and a half of Namur, not far from the Sambre. The day before the King had remov'd his Quarters from La Falise nearer the Town, to the Farm of the Maison rouge, upon the Hill near the Village of Flavennes on the Sam [...]: And the same day we began to work at our Line of Circumvallation, tracing the Ruins of that which the French [Page 47] had made when they besieged this place, July. which we found ready cut out to our hands, except at Maulx, where we made it run a little more out than the French had done before. Upon Count Nassaus, arrival to Temploux, the two Dutch Regiments of A [...]entz and Weed, which had march'd with the English Detachment, march'd and took their Post with the Dutch in the Line of Circumvallation; and the same day a Major, a Captain, and 2 Lieutenants, of the Dragoons within Namur, were made Prisoners, endeavouring to get in, and were sent to Huy▪ Hitherto the French were not much disturbed by us in the Town of Namur; for we had not yet broke ground before the place; and the Water of the Meuse was so low that we could not get our Cannon up so soon as we expected; for when they were come up to Huy, the River was found so shallow, that we were forced to unload our Can­non, and put them in lesser Vessels to bring them; which as it requir'd time, so consequently it retarded very much the vigorous prosecution of the Siege: Nevertheless the King, with the Elector, went every day to visit the Posts near the Town, and among the rest, July 1st, as the King was riding near the Town to observe the Enemies works, a Lieutenant and Cornet of Dragoons deserted from the Enemy, and came to the King, pretending themselves to be of Liege, and that they would not serve against their own Forces, and the Allies of their Prince. The same day my Lord Cuts came to the Camp at Temploux with six Battallions; the Second of the First Regiment of Guards, his own or the Coldstream Battallion of Guards, with the Regiments of Tre­lawney, Ingoldesby, Nassau, and Heyden. The last, being Dutch, went into the Line of Circumvallation. My Lord Cuts had been detach'd from Prince Vaudemonts Army the 24th of June, with ten Battallions, but at Vilvo [...]de he received Orders to send back Mackays Regiment, and three more Dutch, to A [...]ost: From Alost Colonel Mackays and Count d'O [...]nas Regiments went back to Prince Vaudemont, but the other two went to reinforce the Garrison of Aeth. For upon our un­dertaking of this Siege, the Mareschal of Villeroy (whom we have left incamped near Courtray, without the Line) had passed the Scheld near Pottes and Escanaffe, lying with his Army on both sides the River to be in readiness to follow the Orders of the French Court in this impor­tant conjuncture; and Ath being now exposed to the Enemies Army, these two Regiments were commanded from Alost to reinforce that Garrison; and besides, the Prince of Anhalt Brigadier, was sent with two Battallions more from Prince Vaudemonts Army to command there, where he got with some difficulty.

[Page 48] We were so long before Namur without breaking ground against the Town, that people began to talk very variously about this Siege; as if we had not design'd it, but rather (having lodg'd a strong Gar­rison in this place) to undertake an easier work, and besiege Charleroy; for from the 23th of June that the Town was invested, to this time, we had done nothing but work'd at our Line of Circumvallation, and made our Bridges of Communication; one upon the Sambre, between Flavennes and the Abbey of Malogne; the second upon the Meuse, above Namur, towards Dinant; and the third upon the Meuse, below Namur, towards Huy. But the true reason of our slowness proceeded from our want of Cannon, part of which came up the last day of June; and then we opened the Trenches the day following, being the 1st day of July. The Dutch broke ground at night near the Village of Bouge, upon the Plain, before the Retrenchments and cover'd ways the Enemies had made upon this Hill from whence the Town is commanded. Major-General Fagel had the Trenches, with six Dutch Battallions. We did not advance our work very far this night, because the Trench was flank'd from the Castle, which could easily fire over the Town here; for which reason we were obliged to make Traverses in the Trench to cover our selves from the Cannon of the Terra Nova; so that the Work could not be so far advanced as it would have been, if we had been obliged only to make a simple Trench. The Enemies fired very briskly to hinder our Workmen, particularly from an old Tower which they had just before their cover'd way, called la Tour de Cocklé. The Brandenburgs of t'other side of the Meuse work'd to make a Battery upon the height of St. Barbe, to beat in reverse upon the Enemies within their covered way upon the Hill of Bouge. The 2d Major General Salisch had the Trenches, and Major General Fagel had the misfortune to be shot in the Neck as he was dismounting, but without danger. We work'd at a little battery of three pieces of Cannon near the Village de Bouge, to play upon the Tower of Cocklè; and this night we ad­vanced considerably our Trenches; and in both these nights we had not above 16 Men killed and wounded▪ The 3d the King declar'd Briga­diers Lindeboom and Heukelem, Major Generals; and the Colonels Fri­sheim and Heyden, Brigadiers in their places▪ The same day one of the Electors Chaplains was returned to the Kings Quarter by the Enemies: They had made him Prisoner the day before near their Line, be­tween the Sambre and the Meuse, where his Curiosity had carried him. [Page 49] This day our Cannon began to play; a Battery of three pieces of Cannon from the Village de Bouge against the old Tower, and from the edge of the heighth of St. Barbe, being a Brandenburgh Battery of six or seven pie­ces of Cannon, which fir'd over the Meuse in reverse within the Enemy [...]s Retrenchments upon the Hill of Bouge. At night the Enemy lessened their Fire, and we advanced our Work considerably.

The 4th, early in the morning, Brigadier St. Paul was detach [...]d back from Count Nassau's Camp at Temploux to reinforce Prince Vaudemont, with the Hanover Guards, the Batallions of St. Paul, Cinqvilles, Hulsen, and Zee­landt; and indeed we were in some trouble and pain at this time about Prince Vaudemont. For the Marechal de Vil­leroy, who had advanced as far as the Scheld at Pottes and Es­canaffe, expecting Orders to have march'd to the relief of Namur, or to undertake some Si [...]ege for a Diversion, re­ceived Orders to repass the Lys to attack Prince Vaude­mont in his Camp at Wouterg [...]em; which, if it had succeed­ed, would have been an effectual way to raise the Siege of Namur. 'Tis a very easie thing to find Miscarriages and Faults in ill Success; and when an Enemy has come to the worse by taking wrong measures, tis no hard mat­ter to tell how he might have done better. The At­tempt upon Prince Vaudemont was doubtful; for either Villeroy may come to the worse, or the Prince may re­treat: But if whilst Villeroy was advanced as far as the Scheld, the French King had undertaken the Siege of Ath or Ardenard, one of these two places must of necessity have fallen into his Hands, whilst we were besieging Namur; or we must have raised the Siege to have hin­dred it. However, whether it was, that the Enemies (who had no other designs but to act defensively had not prepar'd themselves for a Siege, or whatever other rea­son there was for it, Vill [...]roy eas [...]d us of the Jealousie we were in for Ath and A [...]denarde, and received orders to repass the Lys: For this end he made his Army as strong us possibly he could, and order'd Monsieur de Xi­menes [Page 50] Lieutenant-General, and Pracontal, Major-General, who were near M [...]ns with a good Detachment of Horse, to come and join him: Being reinforced with these Troops, he ordered Bridges to be made upon the Lys the 2d. at night at Vive St. Eloy, where he pass'd that Ri­ver the 3d. and encam'd at St. Barbon. Montal at the same time had Orders to march with the Body under his command from the Neighbourhood of Kenoque to­wards Thielt. Prince Vaudemont being informed of this motion of the Enemy's, made a movement of his Camp at Wonterghem, to bring his Right more to the Rear to take up the rising Ground of Arseel, which he thought more defensible. This was the third in the Evening; the Prince ordered then Retrenchments to be made upon the Left towards VVacken and the Lys; and the 4th. the Army retrench'd and fortified upon the Right all the rising Ground of Arseel; and the Regiments of Strathna­ver and George Hamilton, with Brigadier O Farrel, came from Deinse to the Camp to reinforce our Army, the Gar­rison being supplyed by Detachments. Prince Vaudemont had then about fifty Battallions, and fifty one Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons; and with these Forces he was then resolved to expect the Marechal de Villeroy, and to venture the issue of a Battle in his Retrenchments, which he had made very strong; though Villeroy had near the double of his number, and that Prince Vaudemont had not above 36000 men. Whilst we were working at our Retrenchments at Arseel, the French Army, com­manded by the Marechal de Villeroy, was marching in the morning towards our Camp, with their Left upon our Right near Caneghem, and their Right towards our Left at Be [...]ghem and VVacken. We had a Dutch Major po­sted with two hundred Foot at Inghelmonster upon the Ri­ver Mandel; the Castle, or Gentleman's House was pal­l [...]saded and moted, from whence he interrupted the Enemy's march for some time, who had a Colomne to march by this place: His Post being strong and palissaded, he would not surrender till they brought Cannon against [Page 51] him; and then he surrender'd himself and Detachment Prisoners of War. Some of the French Officers would have had him made an Example, for pretending to hinder the march of a Royal Army with a handful of men, but on the contrary, the Marechal of Villeroy approved of his Courage and Bravery, and was pleas'd to applaud it.

The Mareschal de Villeroy came early enough in pre­sence of our Army that day to have attack'd it, and to have decided the Fate of our Army by a Battle: But whether it was that he found our Camp strongly forti­fied, and that he would not then hazard it, or that he had orders to stay till Montal bad taken the Posts in the Rear of our Right, between Arseel and VVirk, to attack us there, and that he thought it more sure and expedi­ent to stay till then. He remained in presence of our Army that Evening, expecting to have attack'd the P [...]ince very early the next morning, and, in a manner, to have caught him in a Net, by invironing him upon the Right. Prince Vaudemont was informed of this motion of Monsieur de Montal's. Our Army was then posted in the Retrenchment, expecting the Enemy; and though Mon­tal had already pass'd Thielt, and was drawing near to Caneghem, Prince Vaudemont chang'd Resolution, and thought it very hazardous to venture a Battle which pro­mis'd the total ruin of his Army; and then, though the time was urgent and pressing, he immediately, with a most admirable Judgment, resolv'd upon▪ and contriv [...]d a Retreat. The Prince had very wisely provided for such an Accident in the morning, by ordering all the Bag­gage to load immediately, and to march by Deinse to G [...]ent, that it might not embarrass the motions of the Army. The Prince order'd first the Cannon to be drawn off the Batte­ries, and to march towards Deinse; which was done so secretly, that the Enemies did not perceive it. He had wisely ordered the Artillery to be moving from Battery to Battery all the Afternoon, so that when it went clear off, the Enemies thought it had been but the ordinary motion. After, the two Lines of Foot march'd up­on [Page 52] the Left, along the Retrenchment. To cover this march of the Foot, the Prince ordered a Body of Horse to come and post in the Retrenchment, as 'twas quitted by the Foot. The Foot march'd with their Pikes and Colours trailing to conceal their march; neither did the Enemies perceive this motion till the Cavalry mounted a­gain, and abandon'd the Retrenchment, and then the In­fantry was already got in the bottom between Arseel and VVouterghem, marching towards Deinse. At the same time that the Foot were filing off from the Retrenchment, the Prince ordered Monsieur d Auverquerque, with the Right Wing of Horse, interlin [...]d with Colliers's Brigade of Foot, to make a Line facing towards Caneghem, extend­ing himself from the Windmill of Arseel towards Winck. This motion was to make Montal believe that this Line was design'd to oppose his Attempt upon the Rear of our Right; but his secret Orders were to march off by Winck to Nevel, and so to Ghent. At the same time that the Foot march [...]d by Wouterghem and Deinse, my Lord Rochford, who was posted with the Left Wing of Horse and two Battallions towards the Lys, made the Reer Guard towards the Left, with a Line of Foot up­on one side, and three Squadrons of Eppinger upon the other. All this was so contriv'd by the Prince, from the Right to the Left, that the Army disappear'd all at once, just as if it had vanished out of the Enemy's Sight. The Prince, and the Duke of Wirtemberg, and other Generals, kept to the Retrenchments till all was marched off; form­ing, with themselves, Domesticks and Attendants, a lit­tle Body of Horse, still to impose upon the Enemy, and followed the Army as soon as 'twas all got off. The Enemies finding themselves cheated, did what they could to overtake and fall upon our Rear: Montal particularly endeavoured to fall upon that Body commanded by Mon­sieur d' Auverquerque, which march'd off by Winck to Ne­vel. He overtook the Rear with some Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons: But our Defilés were good, and Briga­dier Collier had ordered all the Granadiers of his Bri­gade to the Rear of all, to face the Enemy from time to [Page 53] time as they advanced in their Defilès; which was so well contrived, that the Granadiers with their Fire kept the Enemies at a distance, and made the Retreat good, and Montal could not do us the least harm. When they had fail'd here, they endeavoured to fall upon the Rear of our body of Foot, which was brought up by Count de Noyelles Lieutenant-General. They ordered a Line of Foot to advance, with some Horse and Dragoons; but the Foot was got already so far that they could not hurt them. However two Squadrons of their Dragoons put green Boughs in their Hats, which is our sign of Battle, and spoke some French and some English, as if they had been some of our own Reer-Guard: It was then the dusk of the Evening; and with this Stratagem they were suffered to come up close to our Rear of Foot, and mar­ched with them a little way, till they came to a con­venient place, that they fir'd upon our Rear, and then fell in with their Swords. This put the first Battallion in great disorder; but the other immediately facing a­bout, oblig'd the Enemies to retire. They kill'd us se­veral Men, and made some Prisoners: The Lunenburgh Regiment of Luck suffered most in this occasion. And this is the only loss we receiv'd from the Enemy in this great and renowned Retreat; which is as fine a piece of the Art of War as can be read of in History, and which can hardly be parallell'd in it; which has shew'd more the Art, Conduct, and Prudence of a General, than if the Prince had gain'd a considerable Victory: And this is the Sense his Majesty was pleas'd to express of it in a Letter he writ to Prince Vaudemont upon this occasion. By this Prince Vaudemont bafled all the Enemy's Designs, which aimed at no less than the loss of Flanders, by the ruin of his Army; and for this Reason had laid aside all thoughts of besieging Ath or Audenarde, to get Newport, [...] so to have a passage free within our Canals, which cover the Spanish Flanders. This would not only have been the Consequence of the Prince's defeat, but likewise the raising of the Siege of Namur must have follow'd it.

[Page 54] The Prince having made his Retreat in this order, and the Army being pass'd Deinse, and got as far as Ne­vel in the way to Ghent, 'twas ordered to halt, and rest there for that night: But Prince Vaudemont (as he him­self afterwards said it) remembred a Maxim of that Great General, Charles IV. Duke of Lorrain, his Father; That when an Army is upon the Retreat, it must be sure to retreat out of the Enemy's reach; for which Reason he sent Orders to Sir Henry Bellasis to march immediately with the Foot to Ghent; and the Army came to Mary-K [...]rk that night, under the Walls of Ghent, without Bruges-Port; and it was all got here by six a Clock the next morning. Whilst the Army was upon the halt at Nevel, Major-General Churchill, being just by the House where he had his Quarter the last Spring, when we form'd a Camp between Deinse and Ghent (as the Enemies were working at their new Lines) went in, to rest himself, and ordered a Sergeant and twelve Men of the next Regiment for a Guard upon it: But as the Ar­my marched on, the Regiment did not send to call off the Sergeant and his twelve Men, and the whole Regiment and Army march'd without their knowledge; they still expected to have found the Army by them the next morning; Major General Churchill, being fatigu'd, went to sleep; Lieutenant-Colonel Godolphin of Sir Bevil Gran­ville's Regiment was with him, and Major Negus of the Major-General's Regiment, and Captain Lloyd his Aide de Camp. The next morning very early, as they were get­ting up, they found that the Army was marched on, and the Centries gave notice that a French Party was just upon the [...] ▪ They call'd in the Sergeant and six men (the rest being dispers'd Centries) into the House: It prov'd that it was no Party, but Maroders of the Army, who came to plunder the Country. The six Soldiers being got into the House, and the Doors shut up, fir'd upon the French, which made them retreat. In the mean time the Major-General made all haste to endeavour to make his escape; and being got out of the House, [Page 55] the French Maroders had rally'd with their Camarades to force the House; so he fell in the Hands of two of them, who plunder'd him, took his Gold, his Watch, his Coat, and Cravat; but being jealous of one another, they were for dividing immediately the Spoil; and so they spoke to the Major-General to set down by a Hedge, and that if he offered to stir, they were so many about the House that they would certainly shoot him. They got on the other side of the Hedge to share that which they would not trust with one another: Whilst they were busie at this work, the Major-General seeing no bo­dy to observe him, slipp'd to the other side of another Hedge hard by; and so having two Hedges between him and them, he got out of their sight. He pass'd by one of their Centries, who took him for one of the French Army, and ask'd him which way the Army march'd, to which the Major-General answer'd accordingly, and so made his escape, and got to our Army at Ma­ry-Kirk, having marched most on Foot in his Boots. As for Lieutenant-Colonel Godolphin, Major Negus, and Cap­tain Lloyd, which were still in the House, they had not so good Fortune; but the House was soon invironed: The Maroders came with a Drum to make them believe they had an Officer with them; and so these Gentlemen, ex­pecting good Treatment from an Officer, yielded them­selves Prisoners of War: But as soon as the Door was open, the mobb of Soldiers got in, and fell on plunder­ing. There was a great deal of Baggage in the House, as Saddles and Furniture for Horses, and in the Barn su­veral good Horses. Those that got in first minded only the Plunder; others follow'd, who finding no other Booty, stripp'd Colonel Godolphin naked, and had him away Prisoner in this condition: Major Negus and Captain Lloyd were not treated quite so ill, having some of their Cloaths left them. But they were all carried Prisoners to the Marechal de Villeroy, who made some Excuses for their ill Treatment, and was himself very civil to them: He gave them immediatly their Liberty, and desired they [Page 56] should stay no longer but to refresh themselves. He invi­ted them to Dinner the next day, and so sent them back without Ransom.

The Mareschal de Villeroy having slipp'd this opportuni­ty of falling upon Prince Vaudemont, by his wise and hap­py Retreat, march [...]d with the French Army to Rousselar; and Prince Vaudemont, who had march'd all night as far as Mary Kirk under the Walls of Ghent, halted here till nine of the Clock in the morning, that he judged all the Straglers were got up to the Army, and so march­ed through Ghent, and incamp'd without Brussels Port. And as Prince Vandemont foresaw that the Enemies having miss [...]d this opportunity would march towards Newport, so twelve Battallions had orders not to pitch their Tents, but to be ready to march under the com­mand of Sir Henry Bellasis Lieutenant General; but the Army marching through Ghent, and the Baggage, this Detachment could not repass the Town to march to­wards Bruges till the next day early in the morning. Brigadier Offerrel was left in Deinse, and a Swedish Re­giment, besides a Detachment. Prince Vaudemont had writ a Letter the 4th. to the King, to give him an ac­count of his Circumstances, and of the motions of the Enemy to attack him; which made us very anxious be­fore Namur for the success of that Affair. The next day in the morning he sent an Express to the King, to give his Majesty an account of his successful Retreat, which the King received at night; which good News caus'd an universal Joy before the Town, and dissipated all the Apprehensions we had for the safety of Prince Vaudemont's Army. This brings me back again from Flanders to speak of the progress of the Siege of Namur.

The 4th. the English Army employed in this Siege were like to lose all their money coming from Louvain under an Escorte of about 100 Horse, and 50 of Dopf's Dra­goons. Mr. Hill, the Pay-master-general of his Majesty's [Page 57] Forces was with them: They met, by Perwys, at a De­filé, with a good Party of the Enemy's Horse and Dra­goons from Charleroy, which at first made ours give way, thinking them stronger than really they were. The Pay-masters of the Regiment had put their money into a Waggon, which the Enemy overthrew, and were taking out the Horses: In the mean time, the Officer com­manding our Party, who before had done his best to make his people stand, rallyed them again; who find­ing that the Enemy were not so strong as at first they apprehended them, came on upon them, and so the Enemy were obliged to retire in their turn. But the Waggon being over-turned, several Regiments lost their money in the confusion, some taken by the Enemy, and some by our own Troopers: However, the Enemy be­ing near our Camp, and afraid of another Party, went off as fast they could to Charleroy, their Garrison, having no great occasion to brag of their Booty, which they quit­ted as easily as they got it. Mr. Hill was in a Coach, but he made his escape upon a Led-Horse. The same day Lieutenant-Colonel Billing of S [...]lwyn's Regiment was commanded with 300 men to take Post upon the rising Ground of this side the Sambre, over-against the House of the other side, called the Ballance, where the Enemy had a good Guard to defend the Passage of the River. This was in order to make some Batteries upon the side of this Hill, to disl [...]dge the Enemy from the Ballance and the Abbey of Salsen. This Post was pretty warm at first, being expos [...]d to the [...]ire of the Battery of two, upon the end of the Enemy [...]s Line, of which we have before given an account. But our men soon put them­selves under Cover▪ and this Post was daily relieved with a Lieutenant-Colonel and 300 men, till we had gain [...]d the Passage of the Sambre. At night M [...]jor- [...]eneral H [...]uklom commanded the Trenches. The 5 [...]h. or about this time, Baron Fleming Velt Mareschal-General of the Elector of Brandenburgh's Forces, came to the Camp before Nam [...], [Page 58] and took his Quarter on the other side of the Meuse, with the Brandenburgh Troops under his Command, which hitherto had been commanded by the Lieutenant-Gene­ral Baron Heyden. The same day it was resolved, that the English Forces incamp'd at T [...]emp [...]oux, should open the Trench upon the Right of the Enemys Retrenchment, directing their Approaches towards the old Tower of Cocklé; That three English Regiments should mount the Trenches here, and three Dutch upon the Left towards the Meuse. where they had opened the Trench, near the Village of Bouge. Accordingly in the Evening, my Lord Cutts Brigadier was commanded with the Regi­ments, Royal, Selwyn, and Trelawny, for this Work; and Major-General Salisch had the Trenches. The En­ginier missed in the night the Ground where we were to begin to work, which was in a bottom upon the Right of the Enemy's Rettenchment or covered way: And so these three Regiments returned without breaking Ground. The 6th. Major-General Lindeboom mounted the Trenches, and Brigadier Fitzpaterick, with the Regiments of Sey­mour and Columbine (being that lately commanded by the Marquiss de Rada, Son to the Marquiss de Montpouillan, who dyed of a Fever at Bruges the beginning of the Cam­pagne, and the Regiment was given to Lieutenant-Colonel Columbine, Captain of the Guards, who had been Lieutenant-Colonel to it in the time of Colonel Babington) the third was the Regiment of Fusiliers. This night these Regiments opened the Trench before the Enemy's covered way upon the Hill of Bouge, taking the oppor­tunity of the hollow ground to begin their work very near the Enemy. Captain Thilips of Selwyn's Regiment was wounded with the Workmen: Thus the Trenches were mounted upon the Right by the King's Forces, three Battallions commanded by a Brigadier; and by the States Forces, three Battallions upon the Left, commanded by a Dutch Brigadier, making two At­tacks upon Right and Left, under the Command of [Page 59] a Major-General. 200 men were commanded every night upon each Attack, with two Captains, and other Offi­cers proportionably to work and advance the Trenches, whilst the Regiments of the Trenches covered their Work (which they did under the shelter of Wooll-sacks) with their Fire; which generally continued more or less the whole Night. The 7th. Major-General Heukelom had the Trenches, with my Lord Cutts's Brigadier upon the Right, and the Battallions of Tidcomb, Stanley, and Col­lingwood. (I could not get a List of the rowling of the Dutch Brigadiers and Regiments upon the Left, so that I must pass it over.) Captain Gaubet of Colonel Ingoldes­by's Regiment and Enginier, and another Enginier of la Meloniere's Regiment were killed in the Work this night.

The 8th. several of the Regiments encamp'd at Tem­ploux had Orders to march in the Lines of Circumvalla­tion, being the first Battallion of the Royal Regiment, the Fusiliers, Ingoldesby, Saunderson, Maitland, and Lauder. We continued still to fire with our small Battery upon the Hill against the old Tower, and among the Pa­lissades of the cover'd way. The Brandenburghers did the same from their Battery upon the edge of the Hill of St. Barbe; but being too far from the Meuse, and to fire over this River upon the Enemy in their Works upon the Hill of Bouge, it could not do very great execution: But to make more serviceable Batteries of this side, and to bring them nearer to the Meuse, the Brandenburghs had opened the Trench (the 1st.) against the Enemy's Work, which they had to cover the Fauxbourgh de Jambe, to drive them out of this place. The Castle commanded all the bottom between the height of St. Barbe and the Meuse; for which reason the Brandenburgh Troops were forced at first to open their Trench very high up the Meuse towards the Bridge of Communication, and so to work downwards towards the [...]; and by this time they had considerably advanced their Work. But this day the Enemy made a Sally about two in the Afternoon upon the Brandenburghers Trenches, which [Page 60] was commanded by a Colonel, The Enemy were rec­koned about 1200 strong, being most Dragoons, and two Squadrons of them mounted: The Brandenburghers were at first forc [...]d to give way; the Colonel that command­ed was killed, being a French Refugié, a Lieutenant Co­lonel, and 100 Soldiers killed and wounded. The Enemies levelled 150 paces of their Trenches; but the Brandenburghers rallied, and being reinforced with some Horse, they regain'd their Post, and drove the Enemy back to the Fauxbourgh de Jambe, who had the Count de Gram­mont Colonel of Dragoons wounded upon this occasion, and about thirty men killed and wounded. This is the only Sally the French made during the Siege of the Town.

In the Evening Major-General Ramsay was commanded to make an Assault upon the cover [...]d way which the E­nemies had upon the Hill of Bouge, with the five Battal­lions of Guards which were here, to be employed in the Siege; the other two remained with Prince Vaudemont: These [...]attallions were two of the first Regiment of En­glish Guards, the Coldstream Battallion of Guards, of which my Lord Cuts is Colonel, the first Battallion of Dutch Guards, and the first of Scots Guards, besides a Detachment of fifteen Grenadiers throughout the other Regiments of his Majesty's Forces here. The Attack was disposed on this manner: This Body was to form two Attacks, the one upon the Right of the Tower of Cocklé, the other upon the Left, each Attack to begin with 120 Fusiliers commanded for that purpose out of the Regiments, and 120 Grenadiers; the Fusiliers to march first, each carrying a large Fascine before him, and his Fusil ready, being drawn up in three Ranks; the Gra­nadiers immediately to follow, each to carry three Grenades; they were to advance in this manner towards the Line which they were to attack, and then, when they were come within forty paces of the Enemy's Work, the Grenadiers were to divide to the Right and Left of the Fusiliers, and to fire their Arms by Pelottons, and [Page 61] then to advance clear to the Enemy's Palissades to fire in their Grenades, after that, the Fusiliers were to throw down their Fascines, and then to make all the Fire they could; the Grenadiers were to be followed by 100 Workmen to each Attack, and two or three Ingeniers, the Work­men to carry Wooll-sacks and Gabions, and post them most conveniently to drive the Enemy from their Works; 100 Grenadiers besides were to carry Fascines, as the Fusi­liers, and march equally with them, and 50 men behind them, with an Enginier to plant them as the rest; and these were to march in the Center, between the two Attacks, against the old Tower; as many Grenadiers were to be disposed in the same manner upon the Right of all; the Battallions were immediately to follow, and sustain the Fusiliers and Granadiers, and drive the Enemy from their Works. The first Palissades being gain'd, we were to lodge our selves there, and to make use of the Ene­my's rais'd Work for a Parapet: The Regiments in the Trenches were to be ready to march out, and sustain them upon occasion; the Signal, to be one of the Ar­tillery Colours raised upon the highest of the Dutch Trenches, and then all were to fall on; which was accordingly done [...]bout seven in the Evening. Major-General Ramsay ordered none of the Battallions should fire till they could put their Pieces in the Enemies Pa­lissades, and to march with their Arms shoulder'd,; which he saw executed himself. The Guards march very bold­ly with their Arms shoulder'd, and sustained the Ene­mies Fire till they came up to the Palissades, and then they gave a full fire, which put the French in some confusion:. Nevertheless they still disputed the Re­trenchment; and after a little time they were forced to quit it, and the Guards remain'd Masters of the Pa­lissade. The Enemies Palissades being gain'd, the Major-General order'd our Men to break them, and to get into the cover'd way: Our Soldiers being flushed, were very eager to go forward without bidding: Having gained this covered way, nothing could hold them; but they [Page 62] went on very furously, and attack'd the Palissades of the second covered way, which they gained after a short dispute, and the Enimies were in such a Conster­nation, that they soon abandoned them; all that their Officers could do could not keep them up, but our Men got in with them, and pursu'd them Sword in Hand, a­mong all their Forts which they had upon the Brow of this Hill, and so down to the very Counterscarp of the Tower before the Porte de Fer; the most forward went th [...]s far: But the rest made a great Slaughter among the French that had got into the Stone-pits, which are very com­mon upon the side of this Hill, where they endeavoured in the confusion to conceal themselves from the Fury of our Soldiers: But the Forts made a considerable fire and killed us many men, who were very thick all about them. Where the Dutch Guards attack'd upon the Right, the Enemies disputed their Post very hard, and held them to it: They were sustained by my Lord George Hamilton's first Battallion, who had his share in the Honour of the Action, though 'twas not this Regiment's turn to mount the Trenches; but being at hand in the Line of Cir­cumvallation, my Lord received Orders to be ready with his Regiment; Brigadier Fitz-Patrick marched at the Head of it with his known Bravery: The Dutch Guards (notwithstanding the resistance they met with) carried the Palissades they attack'd, and the Royal Regiment maintain'd it, and pushed on with the rest; and indeed they all did wonders in this Attack: And when they were once got in the first Palissades, there was no di­stinction of Battallions, but all mixed with one another, and the Soldiers were very willing to obey their next Of­ficer, without distinction; so that I shall omit the due praise which every Regiment deserved upon this occasi­on, as well the Regiments of the Trenches as the Guards, some of which were concerned in the Attack, as the Fu­siliers, Tidcomb, &c. The fire continued till past nine of the Clock, and both the Regiments that mounted and dis­mounted the Trenches remained to make good the At­tack. [Page 63] My Lord Cutts had the Trenches the night before, with the Regiments of Tidcomb, Stanley, and Collingwood, and did not dismount till the whole Attack was over, where he hazarded himself very freely, as he does up­on all occasions of Service. Brigadier Fitz-patrick being to mount the Trenches with the Regiments of Lauder, In­goldesby, Saunderson, and Maitland, and Brigadier Frisheim, with the Dutch, relieved the Posts which had been gained: The Guards come off about mid-night, and marched back to the Camp at Temploux, where they came very early in the morning, after having gained a very great Reputation in the Attack: For whereas they were on­ly to to gain the outer covered way, by the disposition of the Attack; yet they beat the Enemies from all the Re­trenchments they had upon this Hill, and pursued them among their Forts, down the Hill to the very Porte de Fer, where most of them were killed at the very Palis­sade; but several of our Men that had advanced so far, were made Prisoners; among the rest, Lieutenant-Colonels Pierce and Morrison, Captains of the second Regiment of English Guards, Ensign Atkins of the same Regiment, and Ensign Ross of the Scots Guards, and several Soldiers. Major-General Ramsay, who had the conduct of this Attack, had his Horse woun­ded under him with a Musket-shot, and his Servant's Horse was killed just by him with a Cannon-ball, which came very thick from the Castle, which fir'd over the Town here. He had the thanks of the King for this great Success, who was present in the whole Acti­on, and the Compliments of the chief Generals; and Prince Vaudemont writ him a Letter of Congratulation up­on this occasion.

If the English did such considerable Actions in this At­tack, the Dutch were not idle upon the Left, but at the same Signal with ours they marched out of their Tren­ches, and attacked the Left of the Enemies Retrenchments towards the Meuse. Major-General Salisch commanded [Page 64] the Trenches, this night and the Attack of this side, with the Regiments of the Trenches, and those that were to mount, in all 7 or 8 Battallions. The Enemies Fire was more opiniatre of this side than it had been upon the Right of our Attack; which caused a considerable slaugh­ter among the Dutch Regiments; but in spight of their resistance they gained the Work, and beat the Enemies from their Renchments. The Regiments of Salisch, and another Dutch, Oxensten, and Braha of the Swedes, suf­fered very much in this Action; for which reason the two first were sent to Garrison in Maestricht, and the two last to Huy; and four other Pattallions were sent from Maestricht to take up their place in the Line of Cir­cumvallation, being the Regiments of Du Thiel, Anhalt d'Essau, and (if I am not mistaken) two Swiss Battalli­ons of Lochman. The Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Regiment of Salisch was killed, and the Major wound­ed, with several other Officers killed and wounded, of which I have not seen a particular account. As for our own loss, I shall here insert as exact an account of it as possibly I can. In the Brigade of Guards, who were most concerned in this Action, we had 177 Soldiers kil­led, and 366 wounded, 41 missing, supposed Prisoners. In the first Regiment of the English Guards, they had Officers killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Robinson, who commanded the second Battallion, Captains, Montague and Hide, and Ensign Cavendish; Lieutenant-Colonel Davis and Cap­tain Ʋpcot, dead of their Wounds: Wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel How, Captains, Evans, Etheridge, Newton, Jane, and Amstin; Ensigns, Clerk, St. Denuis, and Desaulnais. In the second Regiment of English Guards, killed Cap­tain Weston, and Ensign Holmes: Ensign Whiterong dead of his Wounds: Wounded, Colonel Matthews Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment: Lieutenant-Colonels, Edgworth, Jones, and Pierce, and Captain Markham, Ensigns Hill, and Miller, and Adjutant Wyvil; Prisoners, Lieutenant-Co­lonels, Pierce and Morrison, and Ensign Atkins. In the Dutch Guards, killed, Captain Hooghwitz, and Adjutant [Page 65] Verhoop: wounded, Lieutenant-Colonels Gaudecker, Hutz­ler, and Pagnies; Captains Tilly and Boisroux, and En­sign Windeseim. In the Scots Guards, killed, Captain St. Clair; Ensign Borthwick dead of his Wounds; Ensign Ross Prisoner, and dead since of his Wounds: Wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel John Hamilton, Captain Southerland, and Ensign Iyster. I shall add to those, Lieutenant-Co­lonel Hume Commandant of my Lord Lornes Regiment, Son to the [...]arl of Argyle, then in Garrison in Dix­muyde, who came a Voluntier to see the Siege; he wait­ed upon Major-General Ramsay in this Occasion, and received a Wound in the Shoulder, of which he died since at Li [...]ge. Of my [...]ord George Hamilton's, or the Royal Regiment, kill'd, Captain anderson, Lieutenant Penfather, and Ensign Cokbourn; Captain Dixon dead of his Wounds. My Lord George Hamilton received a Contu­sion upon the Elbow, and Captain Hamilton, and En­signs Carre and Vernal were wounded. In Selwyn's Regi­ment, Lieutenant Gyles and Hamilton were wounded, one with the Grenad [...]ers, and the other with the Work­men. In Trelawney [...]s, Captain Sely was wounded with the Workmen. In Tidcomb's Regiment, which had the Trenches, Lieutenant, Rivasson killed; dead of their Wounds, Captain Carew, and Ensign [...]errot: Wounded, Captains Pope Jackson and Forbes, and Ensign Cormack. In Collingwood's Regiment, Lieutenant Lee wounded. In Colonel Ingoldesby's, one of those that mounted the [...]renches this night, killed, Captain Hamilton and Lieu­tenant Jassa [...]t. In Saunderson's, Lieutenant Swain klled: wounded, Captain Knight and Lieutenant Bernard. In Maitland's, killed, Captain Melvil with the Workmen, and Lieutenant Arrot with the Grenadiers; Captain Gor­don of the Grenadiers wounded. I have not seen the List of Lauder's. As for our loss among the Soldiers it was generally computed, that we had in all in the English and Dutch Attacks about 500 men killed, and about 1200 wounded; and that our whole Loss, Officers, and Soldiers put out of Battle, amounted to near [Page 66] 1800 men at most, and this was the only assault where we had any considerable loss before the Town.

The Enemies had their choicest Troops for the defence of these Retrenchments upon the Hill, and as soon as they perceived that we designed an attack upon this place, they ordered a great body of Foot and their best Dragoons to march out of the Town, and to reinforce their Post upon the Hill, we could see them march very easily from the King's Quarter. So that (reinforcement and all) they had 8 or 9 Regiments of foot besides Dragoons within the retrenchments. 'Tis certain that we made a very great slaughter among them, when once our Soldiers got in and pursued them; they lay very thick in the pits, and up and down their retrenchments; but because the Besieged always con­ceal their losses as much as they can, we could not get a perfect account of it; but 'tis very reasonable to think that their loss was not much inferiour to ours. They had a Brigadier kill [...]d in this occasion, the Count de Mauliv­rier, and two Colonels, the Count de Merstein Colonel of the Regiment of Foix, the Marquiss de Vieu [...]bourg Co­lonel of the Regiment of Beauvoisis, and the Count d' Al­bert Colonel of the Dauphins Dragoons dangero [...]sly wound­ed, besides several other Officers. We intercepted after­wards a Letter from Monsieur de Meg [...]igny to Monsieur Bar­besieux Secretary of State and War, which gave him an account of this Attack; that they had defended it very vigo­rously, but that finding by our pouring in still of fresh Troops upon them, that we were resolved to carry these works (cost what it would) had at last quitted them, to reserve their Troops for a more necessary defence, and that they had made a great slaughter amongst us, having lost 4 or 500 of their own. This was the account sent to Court; which we intercepted. I must not forget to speak of a Bat­tery which the Bavarians made of two pieces of Cannon near the Sambre against the end of the Enemies Line, and another of the same number a little more to the left, which began to fire upon the Enemies lodg'd in the Fascine work at [Page 67] the end of the Line) just at the time of our attack upon the Hill of Bouge.

The Evening of this Assault we began to mount four Regiments of the English, and four Dutch, Major General Salisch and Brigadier Fits-Patrick, as we have said before, had the Trenches, the Kings Regiments were, Lauder, Ingoldes­by, Sanderson and Maitland: The same Evening more Ar­tillery and Ammunitions came from Huy to the Camp under the Escorte of the Hesse Dragoons, Hitherto the Artillery came up but leisurely, and had as yet done but little execution, and this night we secured our lodgments in the Posts we had gained. The 9th We had several Waggons loaden with Spades, and Shovels, and other Instruments to work in the ground, from Lovain. At night Major-General Lindeboom had the Trenches, and my Lord Cutts was to mount, but Colonel Selwyn was declared Bigadier by his Majesty, who accordingly mounted the Trenches this Even­ing, with the Regiments of Nassau, Selwyn, Trelawne, and Seymour. We worked to advance our Trenches towards the descent of the Hill before St. Nicholas his gate, to embrace the detached Bastion the Enemies had here. The Dutch upon the left, worked towards the Meuse to bring their Trench by the Jesuits House, under the Clifts which hung over this River, upon which they worked at a Bat­tery to flank the side of the detached Bastion. The Branden­burgs who had opened the Trench along the Meuse above the Castle the first Instant, had begun another the 5th, a­long the same River below the Town, which they had now considerably advanced, in order to make two paral­lel lines all along the River, to cover the Batteries we designed against St. Nicholas his gate, from the other side of the Meuse, and to bridle in the Enemies who were still masters of the Fauxbourg de Jambe. The 10th Major-General Heukelom had the Trenches, with my Lord Cutts, and the Regiments Royal, Columbine, Fusiliers, and Tidcomb; and this day the Regiments of Collingwood and Tidcomb had left Temploux to go into the line of Circumvallation. The [Page 68] same day the Brandenbourghs having almost finished their parallel lines along the Meuse, the Enemies abandoned the Fauxbourg de Jambe, and set it on fire, and retired to the Bastion upon the Meuse-bridge. More Cannon and Morters came up from Huy. The 11th. the rest of the King's Troops incamped at Temploux went into the line of Circumvallation; the Brigade of Guards incamped at the foot of the Hill below the King's quarter, near the Sam­bre, and the rest towards the Village de Bouge, at Maulx and Bernacomen. Count Nassau had his quarter at Berna­comen, and Major-General Ramsay at Maulx. We had now in all 78 Battalions before the Town in the whole line of Circumvallation. The Prince of Tilly with the Leige Forces was incamped of the Condros side of the Meuse to secure the Navigation of the river. At night Major-General Ramsay commanded the Trenches, with Brigadier Fits-Patrick, who were relieved by the Regiments of Stan­ley, Collingwood, Lauder, and Ingoldsby, As the Royal Regiment march't out of the Trenches Major Macilvaine was killed with a Cannon ball from the Castle, which besides wound­ed Ensign Loggins of Collingwoods Regiment, and three Sol­diers. His Majesty declared my Lord George Hamilton Brigadier in the Trenches. The same Evening we had a Battery of three pieces of Cannon upon the rising ground of this side of the Sambre, which began to play upon the Enemies posted in the Ballance. The King was every day in the Trenches from morning till night, and to lose no time had his dining Tent pitched near Lieute­nant-General Tettau's quarter at Bouge, to be just by the Trenches. Several persons were both killed and wound­ed near the King in his dayly visits of our approaches, but it pleased God to spare his Sacred Person in all those dangers to which he so freely exposed himself. His Ma­jesty was generally accompanied by the Duke of Ormond, my Lord Portland, and the Count de Soissons; and though 'twas contrary to orders, yet the Officers who followed the King in the Trenches were too apt to crowd about him, which made the King's going in the Trenches so much [Page 69] the more remarkable to the Enemies, and consequently dangerous.

The 12th we had finish'd a Pattery on the Brandenbourgh side of the Meuse, just opposite to the Demy Bastion of St. Nicolas his Gate, and a round Tower, having only the River between them, and this day it began to play. At night Major-general Salisch had the Trenches with Bri­gadier Selwyn, and the Regiments of Sanderson, Maitland, Nassau, and Selwyn. The 13th. in the morning we had fini­shed another Battery upon the River side in a Line with the former, from both which the Cannon fired very fu­riously against the half Moon before St. Nicolas his Gate▪ the Demy Bastion of the Meuse, and a thick stone Digue or Damme which at this place keeps up the water in the Fosse of the Town. There was in all about 30 pieces of Cannon upon these Batteries, besides a Battery upon the Hill of Bouge against the Enemies Forts upon the edge of this Hill; another upon the descent of the Hill to flank the detached Bastion they had here, besides a Battery of Mor­ters to incommode the Enemy in their Works at St. Ni­colas his Gate where we were making our Approaches▪ All these Batteries began this day to make a noise, which before had done no great execution. The Town Wall was weak along the Meuse opposite to the left of our Bat­teries, for which reason the Enemies made within, paral­lel to the left of the Meuse Battery, a blind of a great heighth and thickness made up with Earth and Fascines: the rest of the Batteries in this Line had its effect against the old Tower and Works of whith we have now spoken. At night Major-general Lindeboom mounted the Trenches with my Lord George Hamilton Brigadier, and the Regi­ments of Trelawney, Seymour, Royal, and Columbine. The 14th▪ early in the morning it began to rain very hard, which lasted till Noon, the water filled all our Tenches, and very much incommoded our Workmen; this likewise cooled the Fire of our Batteries, which could not for this [Page 70] reason play as vigorously as the day before, but in the af­ternoon it held up, and they made amends for the morn­ing. Before this time the waters of the Meuse were so low that the Cannon came up with some difficulty from Huy▪ but thereafter we had no reason to complain of the want of water, for the whole Summer following it rain'd almost perpetually, and more rain has fallen this Season, than has been known for many years before. In the Evening Major general Henkelem being fallen sick, Major-general Ramsay had the Trenches, which were relieved by the Brigade of Guards commanded by my Lord Cutts, whom his Majesty declared this Campagne Brigadier of the Guards, which is an Honour no Brigadier had enjoyed before. My Lord Cutts his own Battallion of Guards remained to do Duty at the King's Quarter, and the other four mounted the Trenches. This night we pushed our Tren­ches down the Hill, and embraced the detach'd Bastion before▪ St. Nicolas his Gate, for which reason the Officer commanding this Bastion demanded the next day (15) to capitulate; he demanded liberty to go into the Town with his men, which was refused him. Our Batteries plaied the whole day with the same vigour they had done the days before. In the afternoon our Bombs set on fire the Church of St. Nicolas which joyns to the Gate of this Name, where the Enemies had a Magazine, which did them a considerable damage. In the Evening Major-gene­neral Salisch and Brigadier Fits-Patrick mounted the Tren­ches, with the Regiments of Fusiliers, Tidcomb, Stanley, and Collingwood. As the Trenches were relieving my Lord Salkirk was dangerously wounded in the Head just by the King, with a stone caused by the grasing of a Cannon ball upon the top of the Trench. We applyed the Miner to the detached Bastion, and advanced our Trenches clear to the bottom before St. Nicolas his Gate. Which Work Brigadier Fits-Patrick very much en­couraged by his presence, his usual vigilance carrying him to see every thing done. In the morning early the Cap­tain▪ [Page 71] that commanded in the detached Bastion, fearing the effect of our Mine, sent his Lieutenant to offer to Surrender it, who at first insisted upon the Capitulation demanded the day before; but being threatned to be blown up, he desired liberty to go back and speak to the Captain, and that he would return immediately with a further answer. Accordingly the Lieutenant returned, and offered the detached Bastion at discretion, and the Captain marched out with two Lieutenants, an Ingenier, and 53 men all of the Dauphins Regiment, and were sent Prisoners to Huy. They had a very good Casematte in the Bastion, which covered them from our Bombs. At night Najor-general Lindeboom, and Brigadier Selwyn, had the Trenches, with Lauder, Ingoldesby, Sanderson, and Mait­lands Regi [...]nts. Captain Forbes of Tidcombs was killed dismounting. We pushed our Trenches far enough to at­tack the Counterscarp the next day, and having gained the detached Bastion the day before, we worked at a Battery at this foot of the Hill, to fire in front against the Half-moon of St. Nicolas.

Having given an account of the progress of this Siege thus far, I must return to speak of our Affairs in Flanders. We have left Prince Vaudemont incamped at Ghent without Brussels Port the 15th, after he had made his glorious re­treat from the Mareschal de Villeroy's numerous Army, and Sir Henry Bellassis was ready with a detachment of 12 Battallions, and the Dragoons of Rousse and Cunningham to march towards Newport: All Prince Vaudemont's Army and Bagage being got through Ghent, Sir Henry Bellassis Lieutenant General repassed the next day (6) through the Town, and marched till he came within 3 short Leagues of Bruges, upon the Enemeis side of the Canal, where he incamped that night. The next day this Detachment not being thought sufficient for the security of Newport, the Duke of Wirtemberg was sent this way with 12 Battallions more, and all the Dragoons of the Army. Major-generals [Page 72] Churchill and Mirmont and Brigadiers Erle and Haxhausen, were of the Detachment; and my Lord Rivers Major-general com­manded the Dragoons. Prince Vaudemont being obliged to make such Detachments for the safety of Flanders passed the Scheld the day before (6) and incamped at Oostaker just without Antwerp Port, with his right towards the Canal of Sasvan Ghendt, his left by the Scheld, and Ghendt before him. He had then but 26 Battallions left with him, and about 30 Squadrons. The Duke of Wirtemberg having been detached the 7th. from Oostaker marched that day as far as Brug [...]s with the Dragoons, whilst the Foot followed, and encamped pretty near this place upon the Canal. That same day Sir Henry Bellassis, who had marched with his 12 Battallions the day before within three Leagues of Bruges, came very early to this place, and [...]lted to re­fresh the Soldiers, but the Dragoons marched on streight to Placendal, having past the Canal of Oftend at Bruges. The Town provided bilanders for Tiffeny's Regiment and all the Grenadiers to go incessantly by water; they went of by three of the Clock that afternoon; Colonel Tiffeny's Regiment remained to take post at Placendal, where the Canal of Newport meets with that from Ostend to Bruges; but Colonel Southlandt, who commanded the Grenadiers, went on by water to possess himself of the Pass upon the Canal of Newport at Laffine. That Evening Sir Henry Bellassis marched with the rest of the Foot all night t'other side of the Canal of Ostend, which he passed the next morning to get to Placendal, where he halted again to refresh the Regiments, and went on upon the Sea side of the Canal of Newport, and gained that day to Newendam Fort just by Newport, where he incamped with all the Foot and Dra­goons under his Command, except Tiffeny's Regiment which continued to defend the Post of Placendal. And Sir Henry Bellassis being come to Newendam sent the Re­giments of Strathnaver and George Hamilton to reinforce the Garrison of Newport. The Duke of Wirtemberg, who ha­stned after Sir Henry Bellassis, marched through Bruges the [Page 73] 8th. and came to the Placendal, where he pass'd the Canal; and that same day the Foot came up, having made two long Marches from Ghent hither. The 9th. the Duke of Wirtemburgh pass'd the Canal at Placendal, and advanced with the Foot and Dragoons as far as Newport, and encamp [...]d at Lombardie, between the Canal of New­port and the Sea, and disposed his Troops all along this Canal to defend the Passage of it.

The Marechal de Villeroy (as we have said it above) after he had miscarried in his Design upon Prince Vaudemont at Arseel, had march [...]d with his Army to Rous­selar, from whence he received Orders from the French Court to march nearer Dixmuyde, whilst Montal was march'd before, and encamp [...]d at Scorback, between Dix­muyde and Newport. But the Duke of Wirtemberg and Sir Henry Bellasis were detach'd so a Propos by Prince Vaudemont; and they made such diligence towards this place, that they prevented their Design: And the Marechal Villeroy continued in his Camp between Rous­selar and Dixmuyde, to expect fresh Orders from the Court. The 11th. The Duke of Wirtemberg being too far from Prince Vaudemont to be ready to joyn him, if Villeroy should march towards Brabant, thought it best to leave a good Garrison in Newport, and to come back nearer to Ostend; for which Reason he march'd, and encamp'd this day under the Walls of Ostend, and o­pened all the Sluices to drown all the Country about Newport. The 12th▪ The Duke of Wirtemberg march­ed on through Ostend, and pass'd the Harbour upon a Bridge of Boats made for that purpose, and encamp'd in the Pais de Nort, over-against Placendal: A Battallion pass'd the Canal, for the Guard both of the Canal, of Ostend and Newport; and Belcastel was left in Ostend. The Duke of Wirtemberg continued encamp'd here some time, to observe the Motions of the Marechal de Vil­leroy, and to be at hand to rejoyn Prince Vaudemont at [Page 74] Ghent. But the Enemies being baulk'd at Newport as much as they had been at Arseel, resolved to besiege Dixmuyde, not so much for the importance of the place, as for the Garrison that was in it, which being im­possible for us to relieve, they were sure to have them Prisoners; which would prove a great prejudice to us and to our Affairs to have so many Regiments out of Service. And though it was plain, that this place could not be kept; yet, considering that we had no Frontier for Ghent and Bruges, which are great places, and capable of no defence, 'twas very much our Interest to maintain not only Dixmuyde, but Deinse, as long as possibly we could, to keep the Enemies in play, if they continued in Flanders; but if they march [...]d to­wards Namur, then they remained safe in our hands. Monsieur de Montal had Orders to invest Dixmuyde, whilst Villeroy continued encamped near this place to make good the Siege; for though they did not expect so cheap a Bargain as they had of this place, yet they were resolved to make the Garrison Prisoners of War; and Montal had Orders from the French King to give no other Conditions; for which reason the Marechal de Villeroy kept with his Army pretty near Dixmuyde to oblige the Besieged to come to these Conditions, having given Montal a considerable Rein­forcement to carry on the Siege. The place was in­vested by Monsieur de Montal the 15th. with what num­ber of Men I could not precisely hear, some say with a­bout 13000 Men. Major General Ellemberg commanded in this place, having in Garrison the Regiments of Foot of Brewer, Lesley, Graham, Lorne, Prince Christian (being Ellemberg's own Regiment) Aüer, Holle, and another Dutch, the six first were in the King's own immediate pay; and the other two were in the States Service. There was besides a very good Regiment of Dragoons in the place, being the Queen's Dragoons, commanded by Colonel. [...]; but he himself went away sick from the [Page 75] Camp near Dixmuyde to Bruges, and his Lieutenant Co­lonel was sick at Ghent all the Summer, having had a dangerous fall the last Spring; so that Major Brereton commanded the Regiment, who behaved him­self with Honour in this occasion [...] My Lord Lorne's Regiment was commanded by Major Doncaston in the absence of Lieutenant-Colonels Hume that had been wound­ed in the Assault before Namur the 8th of July: All the o­ther Regiments in the King [...]s Pay had their Colonels present. The Garrison had twenty eight Pieces of Can­non, and Stores for a considerable resistance; the Re­giments in it were good, some of them having near 700 effective Men, and with the Dragoons, were computed 5000 strong.

Monsieur de Montal having invested Dixmuyde the 15th. and opened the Trenches that very night at two dif­ferent places, to make his Approaches before the Rous­selar Porte, which is the weakest side of the Town, be­ing commanded here by a rising Ground; and at the o­ther side of the Canal that goes from the Kenoque to Newport, to which Dixmuyde is join'd by a short Caus­fey from the Furnes Porte: There is a Bridge over this Canal defended without by a Ravelin moted and pa­lissad [...]d, and within with a square earthen Work pa­lissaded. Their second Approach was of this side to attack this Ravelin that covered the Bridge. We had begun a new Work by Rousselar Port to put the Town in a better defence against the rising Ground of this side, but it was not finished. The 16th. the French be­gan to fire before Rousselar Porte with a Battery of eight Pieces of Cannon and three Mortars; but they did us very little damage. The Enemies work'd very quiet­ly without any disturbance from us; and though they made their Approaches under our Cannon, yet the Gunners had no orders to fire.

[Page 76] The 16th. at night the Enemies advanced their Trenche within Musket-shot of the Palissades: and the next day (17) in the morning Major-General [...] Ellemberg called a Council of War of the Commanding-Officers of the se­ueral Regiments, and laid before▪ them the State of the Garrison; That the Enemies had brought their Trenches very near the Glacis, particularly before the new Work, which being as yet imperfect, would bring the loss of the Town after it, which could not then resist above four hours: That the Enemies had made considerable Approaches before Furnes Port, to attack the Ravelin that covers the Bridge; and that they al­ready began to fire against it: That the Water, from which he expected a considerable advantage for the de­fence of the Town on this side, did not rise sufficient­ly, notwithstanding that the Sluices of Newport were o­pened: That he had consulted the Inginiers of the Gar­rison upon this matter, and that they could not pro­mise that the Town could hold out four hours if it was vigorously assaulted; so that they were in danger of being taken by Assault, if they resisted: For which Con­sideration he proposed to them, if it was not expedient to capitulate, to deliver up the place upon honourable Terms, and save the Garrison. The majority of the Com­manding Officers of the several Regiments consented to ca­pitulate; but whether they consented to capitulate upon the Honourable Terms they had afterwards, I cannot tell. Major Doncaston, who was the youngest in the Council of War, refused positively; alledging, That there was ro Breach made in the place; That they had as yet suffered no loss; and the Enemies were not yet Masters of the Counterscarp; and that it would not be consistent with their Honour to deliver up the Town so soon. But the Majority of the Council of War being of opinion to capitulate, the Major-Gene­ral's Aide de Camp was sent with a Drum to the co­covered way towards the Enemies Trenches before Rous­selar [Page 77] Port and the Chamade was beat, and Hostages exchanged. The whole day was spent in Contestations. In the evening the Cessation of Arms was continued till the next day, with Moutal's consent. All this night the Enemies (contrary to the Articles of the Cessation) work'd on with their Trenches▪ which they advanced close to the Glacis, where the next morning they had a good Battery ready to tear the Rampart in pieces, if we had not capitulated: Our Soldiers were not suffer'd to fire to hinder the Enemies Work, though it was a notori­ous Breach and infraction of the Cessation. The next morning, Montal still refusing any Terms but those of Prisoners of War according to the Orders he pre [...]tended to have from the French King, it was at last agreed upon, and the Capitulation signed that morn­ing (18) which consisted of the Articles following.

First, ‘That the Governour, Field-Officers, and all the other Officers and Soldiers of the Regiments in Gar­rison in the said place of Dixmuyde, without ex­ception of any Nation, shall be Prisoners of War and shall be treated according to the Cartel made in the beginning of this present War.’

II. ‘That the Besieged shall deliver up the Rousselar Porte an hour after the signing of the Capitulation.’

III. ‘That the Regiments which composed the said Garrison shall draw up upon the Market-place, and the other side of the Town in the Counterscarp with­out Bruges Porte; and the several Regiments drawn up in Battallian shall lay down their Arms and march clear off the Ground, and the Officers shall only have their Swords.’

IV. ‘That during the disarming of the Garrison, nei­ther the Officers nor Soldiers of the said Gar­rison [Page 78] shall be plundered or insulted by any Soldiers belonging to his Most Christian Christian Majesty, upon any pretext whatever.’

V. ‘That before all this be done, the Equipages and Baggage of all the Officers, as well of the Hospi­tal and Artillery as others, shall have liberty to be transported out of Bruges Porte upon Waggons, or by the Canal for such as shall go by Water, to be safe­ly convoy'd by his Christian Majesty's Troops, as near to Newport as the Conductor of the Baggage shall think fit, giving security for the return of the said Es­corte.’

VI. ‘That an Officer shall be appointed by the Go­vernour to conduct the said Baggage towards New­port; which Officer shall return with the Escorte to joyn the Garrison in such a Town as his Most Christian Majesty shall appoint for the Prison of the Regiment to which he shall belong.’

VII. ‘That all the Domesticks shall go along with, and lead the Baggage, though they have Soldiers Accoutre­ments on, which shall not exceed two Soldiers a Com­pany, besides the Officers Livery-Servants, who are not comprised in this Proviso; and this shall be performed upon Honour.’

VIII. ‘That the Officers shall have along with them as many Horses as they please.’

IX. ‘That the Sick and Wounded shall have Boats to carry them to Newport, but at the same time shall be comprised in the List of the Prisoners of War; and that the Doctors and Surgeons shall remain with them to dress and take care of them; which shall be done at the Most Christian King's Charges, as long as he shall retain them.’

[Page 79] X. ‘That no Regiments of the Garrison shall be di­spersed, but Officers shall be allowed and kept pro­tionably with every number of Soldiers.’

XI. ‘That the Garrison shall not be sent out of the Country conquer'd in Flanders since the Year 1672.’

XII. ‘That the Garrison shall not march above five Leagues a day; and when they march it shall be at his Most Christian Majesty's Expences.’

XIII. ‘That Bread shall be given to the Soldiers du­ring their Imprisonment.’

XIV. ‘That the Prisoners for Contributions, the Wag­goners and Conductors shall be set at liberty, and the Deputies which command them, as soon as the Wag­gons, of which the Garrison has occasion for the transporting, of the Baggage, shall be returned.’

XV. ‘That the Officers shall have the Towns where they are sent for, their Prison upon their Word of Honour.’

XVI. ‘That as for the Dragoons in the Garrison, they shall be comprised in the present Treaty, as well as the Regiments of Foot; and shall deliver up their Arms, Standards and Horses, except the Officers.’

Signed the 28th. of July, (N. S.) Montal.

These are the Articles upon which the Garrison of Dixmuyde was surrender'd to the French, which (set­ting aside the liberty of the Baggage, which should ne­ver be put in competition with the King's Service, but [Page 80] should rather be undervalued for it) are such as any Regiment could have in the open Field, and which some Regiments actually had in the very Plains of Fleury, after the loss of that Battle; where being form'd into square Battallions, and resolved otherwise to defend themselves, they had the Terms of Prisoners of War given them, though surrounded with the Enemies Horse. This Treatment surpriz'd very much all the Officers and Soldiers of the Garrison, who had hitherto been pro­mised Honourable Terms, to march out of the Garri­son with their Arms: they conceived such indignation at the news of it, that several Soldiers broke their Arms to pieces, even before the Enemy, and wished, that since they were made Prisoners of War, they had sold their Liberty to the French as dear as possibly they could, by a vigorous resistance. As soon as the Capitulati­on was sign'd, the French took possession of the Rous­selar Port, and were really Masters of the place, before a great part of the Garrison knew any thing of the signing a Capitulation; and the French Soldiers crowded in the place before it had been evacuated by our Gar­rison. According to the Capitulation, the Regiments drew out in Battallion, and marched clear off their Arms, which they left with their Colours, except my Lord Lorne's Regiment, which tore off the Colours from the Staff, rather than suffer them to be a Trophy to the Enemy. A great many Soldiers had broke their Arms to pieces, and the rest the French took possessi­on of, and sent the Colours taken to be put up in Nostre Dame's Church in Paris. The Garrison was at first sent to Ipre, but was afterwards disposed, without any regard to the Capitulation, in several Towns in the Pays Conquis: Some to Arras, others to Bethune, Bou­chain, Cambray, and Doway: And whereas it was ex­presly agreed in the Articles, That no Soldiers should be sent Prisoners into any Town without the Pays Con­quis since the Year 1672▪ yet they were sent to Arras [Page 81] and Doway; both which places were conquered before that, and some as far as Bethune in the Borders of Picardy: But this is not the only Article in which the French violated the publick Faith of Capitulations. There is hardly one which they observed; they would not in several places suffer the Officers to come near the Sol­diers that they may be debauch'd with more ease from our Service by the late King [...]s Officers. A little before the taking of Namur, they put the Officers in close imprisonment: And whereas by the Cartel, all Priso­ners are reclaimable within a Fortnight after they are taken, and that 'twas expresly capitulated, the Garrison should be made Prisoners of War, according to the Cartel made in the beginning of this War; and that Prince Vaudemont accordingly reclaimed these Prisoners, the fortnight being expired, and offered their Ransom; yet [...]he Marechal de Villeroy, by the Fr [...]nch King [...]s Or­ders, refused to return them till the Campagne should be over: All which were notorious violations of the Capitulation, without the least Regard or Honour to the publick Faith. All the while our Soldiers were thus detained Prisoners contrary to the Capitulation, they persecuted and oppressed them to make them take on with the late King's Officers; by which means a great many Soldiers have been forced away from our Service; and, I dare say, as many, as could have been lost in a brave defence of Dixmuyde; and there­fore, notwithstanding that the pretext to capitulate was for the pretended safety and preservation of the Regiments in a place not tenable against the Enemies Power: yet it has been this very Capitulation which has ruined and spoiled several fine and good Regiments, and has rendred some almost incapable of doing the King any Service for some time. I wish for my part that I could have been silent in this Matter, and that I could (like the Painter) have drawn a Curtain over this Spot and Blemish of our Campaign; and if this was the fault of some particular Men, yet the Body of the [Page 82] Garrison had the same Heart and Soul with their Com­manders that did such Wonders before Namur; and there­fore I hope the brave will not think themselves con­cern'd in what I have said of this easie Siege, nor take any Exceptions against it; for I should be very sorry to offend any man, or to say any that might detract from his Reputation.

The French having made themselves Masters of Dix­muyde, the Marechal de Velleroy marched with his Army the 19th. from the Neighbourhood of Rousselar to Ar­se [...], whence the Marquiss de Feuqueres was immediately de­tach [...]d with a Body of Foot to attack Deinse. Offer­rel [...]s Regiment had been sent to reinforce this Garrison from the Camp at Oostackre, the Brigadier commanded in it. The Day before the place was invested, the Re­giment of Scheltinga was sent here from Audenarde to relieve the Swedish Regiment, that was in Garrison, which went back to Audenarde in the place of Schel­tinga. At the same time that Feuquieres was detach'd with a Body of Foot to attack Deinse, the Marechal de Villeroy ordered a Body of Horse to pass the Lys at Gathlen to invest the place on the other side of this Ri­ver before Peteghem, which joins to Deinse by a Bridge over the River. This place is not strong by situati­on, and the Fortications about it were but a good Re­trenchment palissaded, which was double towards Ar­seel one within another, this being the weak side of the Town, the rest being a Morass caused by the Neigh­bourhood of the L [...]s: Without this double Retrench­ment, distant a good Musket-shot from the place, there was a Star-work upon the way of Arseel, and Thielt: We had great Magazines of Hay in this place, and eight pieces of Cannon. The Marquiss de Feuquieres sum­moned the Governour to surrender the place, who of­fered to do it upon honourable Terms; but the Marquiss de Feuquieres would hear of none but those of Prisoners of War: To which Brigadier Offerrel consented; and the Capitulation was signed the 20th, and the place deli­vered [Page 83] to the French without firing a Cannon-shot of ei [...]ther side, upon these Conditions.

First, ‘That the Officers shall not be plunder'd; and nothing shall be taken from the Soldiers but their Arms.’

II. ‘That the Officers shall have liberty to send all their Baggage, and Horses with their Servants aad Bag­gage-Men with a good Escorte to Ghent.’

III ‘That the Officers shall have liberty to take their Saddle-Horses along with them for their march, and after to dispose of them as they shall think fit.’

IV. ‘That the Officers shall have the liberty to wear their Swords, and that no man shall take them from them.’

V. ‘That all the Garrison, both Officers and Sol­diers, shall have one of the conquer'd Towns in the Low Countries for their Prison, till such time as the Conditions of their Liberty shall be agreed upon.’

VI. ‘That all the Inhabitants of the Town, as well Ecclesiasticks as others, with their Horses and Cat­tle, and the Cloyster of Nuns, shall be exempted from Plunder, or any other Molestation. Which was Signed at the Camp before Deinse the 30th. of July, New Stile, by the Marquiss de Feuquieres.’

The Garrison was sent to Doway and Cambray, which the Enemies could have sent, if they would, as far as Luxemburgh without any breach of the Capitula­tion, and was treated in the same manner as the Gar­rison of Dixmuyde. As soon as the French had taken away all our Magazines, which they sent by Water to Courtray, they demolished the place, and took away the Palissades. As for Dixmuyde, the Enemies propos'd to [Page 84] demolish the place, upon condition that they would not keep a Garrison here, nor we neither, else that they would keep it (as it was) for a Winter Quar­ter. The Magistrates of Dixmuyde made▪ the Proposi­tion to the Elector; and it is said, that by mutual conse [...]t this place is to remain demolished; and so it continues this Winter without any Garrison. The French all this while were Masters of the Country to the other side of the Canal of Bruges, which they plundered and destroyed. But for the security of the Country on our side of the Canal, Prince Vaudemont com­manded Sir. David Collier with 8 Regiments of Foot, and 250 Horse (12) to guard the passages of the Canal. Upon the Marechal de Villeroy [...]s motion towards Deinse, the Duke of Wirtemberg left his Camp at Placendal the 19th. and march'd to Bruges, and incamp'd at Oedel­ghem, near Cruys Port, to cover the place, or to joyn Prince Vaudemont upon occasion. Sir Henry Bellassis was left at Placendal, by the Duke of Wirtemberg, as he march [...]d from thence to Bruges: By this disposition the Canal was guarded from Ghent to Bruges, and so to Ostend. Sir David Collier guarded the passages of the Canal near Ghent: The Duke of Wirtemberg was near Bruges, and Sir Henry Bellassis at Plaiendal. Besides all this, Prince Vaudemont posted the Regiments of Mac­kay and Torsay at Mulenstein, a Passage upon the Ca­nal of Sas van Ghendt, which covered the Prince's Army at Oostackre; which was now reduced to six­teen or seventeen Battallions, by all these Detach­ments, which were so prudently ordered, that the French never offered to pass the Canals to get into the Pais de Waes.

Villeroy having made himself, Master of Deinse came nearer to Ghent with his Army, and incamp [...]d with his main Body between Nevel, where he had his Right, and Gottem upon the Lys, where he had his Left. A considerable Detachment of his Horse pass'd the Lys, as [Page 85] if they had a design then upon Aud [...]narde. The Town of Ghent having the Marechal de Villero, with a pow­erful Army, for their near Neighbour, provided as much as possible they could for their defence: They stop­ped up the Waters to drown the Country between the Lys and the Sch [...]ld, from Bruges Port to that of Courtray, and made some new Retrenchments upon the Hill without Courtray Port, which is the weakest, and most commanded part of the Town: They mounted all their Artillery upon the Ramparts; and Prince Vaudemont order'd a Detachment of our Gunners for their Service. 'Twas reported they had made a great Pro­vision of Bombs at Courtray, which made this place fear a Bombardment.

This was the disposition of our Affairs in Flanders a­bout this time, which I shall leave to go on with the Siege of Namur; where the ill news of Dixmuyde and Deinse did put us a little out of Countenance: But first I must remember to give an account of my Lord of Athlone's Proceedings, who had been detach'd with most of the Cavalry at the beginning of the Siege to the River Pieton, to consume the Forage between the Sambre and Mons. He at first incamp'd at Pont de Celles, upon this River, where he continued several days, and then advanced near to Binche, and incamped at Herlay­mont-Capelle, near to Marimont; from whence, the 11th. he detached the Count de Lippe Brigadier, with sixteen Squadrons of Horse, to march towards the Enemies Line at Givry between Mons and the Sambre, to raise Contributions. At his return he halted near Binch, an old Town between Mons and the Sambre, with de­cayed Walls about it. The French make a Winter Quarter of this place; and in the Summer they keep in it a small Garrison, just enough to cover the Town from Parties. Whilst the Cavalry was upon the halt near this place, several Spanish and Walloon Voluntiers, that wanted Booty, endeavoured to force their way [Page 86] into the Town, and there was a small Skirmish be­tween them and the French which defended it. Count Lippe hearing the Fire, sent Orders to the Voluntiers to retreat, and not to meddle with [...]t: But this handful of French, not content to be rid of these Voluntiers, pursued them, and fir'd upon them; for which reason Covnt Lippe sent a Detachment to repulse them, which got into the Town with the Enemy, and made them­selves Masters of it: It was a place which could not be kept, and so we abandoned it.

I have left the Siege of Namur continued to the 17th. when all things were ready to make an Assault upon the Counterscarp. Major-General Lindeboom was then in the Trenches, with Brigadier Selwyn, and the Regiments of Lauder, Ingoldesby, Saunderson and Maitland. The At­tack was ordered for the Evening at the relieving of the Trenches to have a good number of Regiments ready to sustain the Assault: Fifteen Grenadiers a Com­pany were detached throughout the Regiments concern­ed in the Siege of the Town (except the Guards) which made about 500 Men, commanded by Colonel Colling­wood. Major-General Ramsay mounted the Trenches this night, with my Lord George Hamilton Brigadier, and the Regiments of Nassau, Selwin, and Seymour and the Royal Regiment, which was commanded extraor­dinarily for the occasion. The Attack began about five of the Clock in the Afternoon by the Grenadiers, who went on very couragiously to the Glacis, and fir'd their Grenades over the Palissades in the cover'd way. The Enemies had traverses palissaded all along this cover'd way, from the Porte de Fer to the Meuse, which added very much to the defence of the Counter­scarp. Notwitstanding the Grenadiers gained the Gla­cis. But the Enemies, under the cover of their Tra­verses, very much annoyed our Men, and pisputed the Lodgment [...]s upon the Glacis very hard; for which rea­son the Regiments of Ingoldesby and Sanderson, marched [Page 87] out of their Trenches to the assistance; but when they came to lodge the Wooll-sacks and Gabions upon the Palissades of the Glacis, the Enemies, who still defended themselves by the favour of their Traverses, set them on fire, and sprang two or three Fougaces or little Mines, which did some damage. Several Grenadiers leap'd o­ver the Palissades in the cover [...]d way, where they fought with a great deal of Bravery and Courage in the thick of the Enemies. The Lodgment was made at last, and the Enemies were forced to abandon the Counter­scarp. Our Cannon and Bombs play [...]d at the same time very dextrously and furiously from both sides of the Meuse, and gall [...]d the Enemy very much in their Works, at a time when they must fire with a great deal of Art to annoy the Enemies, and not to hurt our own Men. The English made their Lodgment upon the Palislades of the cover'd way from before the Face of the Bastion de St. Roch next to St. Nicholas Gate, to the left to­wards the Meuse; and the Dutch Grenadiers, who at­tack'd upon the left, carried it from the Halfmoon of St. Nicholas to the point of the Demy-Bastion of the Meuse, being sustained by Detachments from their Regi­giments in their Trenches, who behav'd themselves with the same Pravery as ours had done upon the Right. Baron de Hasfert Colonel of a Swedish Regiment was kil­led in this Action, and a Lieutenant-Colonel wounded, besides several other Officers. The Enemies, who were still Masters of two detach'd Bastions upon the Hill of Bouge, gall'd us very much during the Attack with se­veral Drakes or Fauconners they had, which they fir'd con­tinually down upon our Trenches in the bottom, and up­on our Rear in the Attack. 'Twas by one of these Drakes that Mr. Godfrey, Deputy-Governour of the Royal Bank of England (who was come some days before from Antwerp to wait upon the King about the Affairs of the Pay­ment of the Army) had the misfortune to be he killed in the Trenches, standing near the King, and Lieutenant-Colonel Eck of the Dutch Troop of Guards had his Arm [Page 88] shot off by the same Ball. His Majesty (as he does up­on all like occasions) remained upon the place during the whole Action, without stirring till our Posts upon the Glacis were made sure, and 'twas then very late in the night. Our loss was not very great, considering the re­sistance of the Enemies, who fir'd not only from the co­vered way, but from the Bastion de St. Roch after we had gain [...]d it, where the Officers were very busie to en­courage their Men to make a good defence, and expos'd themselves very much to keep their Soldiers to a vigo­rous Resistance. Our loss may amount to 7 or 800 men, killed and wounded. Colonel Ingoldesby and Saunderson's Regi­ments suffer [...]d most among ours in gaining the Counterscarp. In Trelawney's Regiment; Captain Carter of the Grenadiers, Son to Rear-Admiral Carter kill'd at Barfleur Fight, was killed in the cover'd way, and Major Carryl, who went on with the Grenadiers with Colonel Collingwood was wound­ed. In Colonel Seymour's, Lieutenant Bethell of the Gre­nadiers wounded. In Columbine's; Captain Young of the Grenadiers killed, Lieutenant Dorrington and Ensign Dro­bus wounded. In the Fusiliers, Lieutenant Dancey killed of the Grenadiers; Captain Negus wounded with the the Workmen. In Tidcomb's Regiment, Lieutenant Wil­liams of the Crenadiers killed; Captain Devaux wound­ed with the Workmen. In Stanley's, Ensign Gardiner kil­led, and Ensign Devreux wounded. In Collingwood [...]s, Ad­jutant Gordon mortally wounded; Captain Booth, and Lieutenants Kemp and Adams wounded. In Lauder's that had the Trenches, Sir John Keith Captain killed; Lieute­nant-Colonel Stewart wounded. In Ingoldesby's, killed, Lieutenant Brooker, and Ensign Paget: Wounded, Captains Purefoy, Jones, and Stedman, Lieutenants Ogilby. Moor, Disney, and Lloyd, Ensigns Patterson and Johnson. In Sander­son's, wounded, Captain Fowke, Lieutenant Hazard, Ensigns Pallaster, and Par [...]ridge. In Colonel Maitland's, Lieutenant Or­charston and Price kill'd; Captain Lundy, and Ensign Gairnes wounded. Monsieur Du Puy Inginier-General of Holland was wounded, of which he died at Maestricht; and 5 Inginiers were killed, and 11 wounded.

[Page 89] The gaining of the Counterscarp was not the only ad­vantage of this day; we had now four Batteries which play'd very briskly upon the Enemies, posted at the Ab­bey of Salsen and the Ballance upon the Sambre, a House so called, where the Besieged had made a Retrenchment to defend the Passage of the River, between their Line and the Cohorne. The Forces quaitered between the Sambre and the Meuse, being Dutch and Bavarians forced this Pas­sage of the Sambre, at the same time we were driving the Enemies from the Counterscarp of St. Nicholas his Gate. 1 [...]00 Bavarian Grenadiers, and 500 Musketeers were com­manded for this, Enterprize with a Colonel, Lieutenant-Co­lonel, Major, and Officers proportionable to the Detachment; there was a Detachment of an equal number of Dutch, and the same number of Officers: A Major with 150 Fusi­liers followed to sustain them. These pass'd the Sambre at the Bridge of Communication above Flavennes, to be ready to pass the Bridge at the Ballance as soon as it should be made, which Work they were to cover: 50 Grenadiers and 300 Musketiers went of the other side of the River, commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel, and 600 men, commanded by a Colonel, to sustain them. These were to march by the Maison Blanche along the way made to draw the Boats upon the River, and so under the Hills to the Ballance. They had besides six Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons to march after them, and cover them from the Enemies Sallies out of the Castle. Six Bilanders, or great Boats, were made ready to go down the River at the same time as the Foot marched on both sides of it: These Boats were contrived for the making of a Bridge at the Ballance, and had a Breast-work made upon their sides Musket shot proof, to cover about 200 Bavarian Soldiers they had on Board. During these Preparations our Batteries upon the Sambre played as fast they could to dislodge the Enemies out of the Ballance, which House they beat down about their Ears, and spoil'd the Re­trenchments they had made to cover themselves. As soon as our men came near the point of the Hill, upon [Page 90] which the Line begins that goes from the Sambre to the Meuse, they fir'd very hard with Small-shot out of the [...]ascine Work at the end of this Line down the Hill, and the Bavarian small Batteries before this Hill, fir'd against them. The Enemies had made a little Battery of two Guns about half way down the H [...]ll, to bear nearer upon the River; but our Batteries from the Sambre soon dislodged the Enemies from hence. They made another of two upon the descent of the Hill be­tween the Cohorne and the Ballance for the same purpose. Our Soldiers being got at the Foot of the Hill on both sides of the River, under the metal of the Enemies Cannon, they received little or no damage. Being now come near the Ballance, our Foot on the Ballance side of the River, attack [...]d the Enemies in the Retrenchment of this House, and in the mean while, the Soldiers in the Boats, and those of the Town side of the River, made the Bridge, and pass'd it. The French or­der'd three Battallions, and four Squadrons of Dra­goons to come down between the Cohorne and Casotte, to fall upon our Men. But the Besieged being attack [...]d at the same time at the Counterscarp of St. Nicholas his Gate, they could not spare men enough to hinder us from being Masters of the Ballance, which was immedi­ately gained as soon as the Bridge was made over the River; and the Detachments the Enemies had made from the top of the Hill between the Cohorn and Ca­sotte (where they were incamp'd) were only Witnesses to the taking of the Passage, without attempting any thing for the defence of it. As soon as we had made our selves Masters of this Post, we sent a Detachment to the Abbey of Salsen, which the Enemies immediately a­bandoned, and we took possession of it with a Captain and 100 men. Our loss was very inconsiderable in the gaining of this important Pass; we had not above forty men killed and wounded. A Captain of the Re­giment of Swerin was killed with a Cannon-ball. We relieved afterwards this Post every Evening with a [Page 91] considerable number both of Horse and Foot, who made a Retrenchment at the end of the Bridge, where they were under shot of the Cannon of the Cohorn, which could not hurt them.

The 18th. Having gain'd the Counterscarp we be­gan to work at a Battery at the Foot of the Hill to fire against the Half-moon of St. Nicholas, and the Basti­on de St. Roch, which Battery was very near the Gla­cis. The same day the Brandenbourghs having finished their parallel Lines along the Meuse, they made a Line of Communication between them, which so inclosed the Fauxburg de Jambe, and the [...]astion of the Meuse Bridge, that there was no fear of any more Sallies of that side: This gave us such a command of the River all along the Castle and Town, that the Marechal de Bousters ordered all the Boats they had under the Town-Wall to be set on fire, least they should be serviceable to us to pass and attack the Breach our Batteries had made along the Meuse. The Enemies for the farther defence of the Town (having lost the Counterscarp) made a Retrenchment within the old Tower in the Figure of a Horn-work, from the West-end of St. Nicholas his Church to the Meuse. Our Batteries play'd very furi­ously. The Brandenburghs from the other side of the Meuse, play'd as hard as they could against the Stone Digue that holds up the Water in the Fossé, to beat it down and drain the Ditch, in order to assault the Breach of the Demy-Bastion, and of the Halfmoon: [...]ut the Digue was so strong and thick, that it resisted very much the fury of our Cannon. (The Reader is to observe, that what I call Brandenbu [...]gh Batteries, are the Dutch Bat­teries of the Brandenburgh side; for the Brandenburgh Forces had no Battering Pieces here.) At night ( [...]8.) Major General Salisch and my Lord Cutts mounted the Trenches with the Brigade of Guards. The Battallion of Scots Guards did Duty at the King's Quarter. In the dusk of the Evening we fir'd all our Artil­lery and Mortars from the Batteries, and the small shot from the Trenches, and round the whole Line of Cir­cumvallation [Page 92] three times, for the taking of Casal in Ita­ly by the Duke of Savoy and the Allies; all the Regi­ments being drawn out about the Line of Circumval­lation for that purpose, made a very fine running sire in such a vast compass of Ground. The 19th. in the Morning we had finished a Battery of seven pieces of Cannon on the Bavarian side, upon the highest part of the Hill between the Sambre an the Meuse, which play'd very hard to make a Breach upon the Left of the Gate of the Enemies Line. In the Evening the E­lector of Bavaria made a very great Detachment of the Dutch and Bavarian Troops to the Ballance, in order to have attacked the Enemies within their [...]ine between the Sambre and the Meuse; but because a considerable resi­stance was expected, the King judg'd it too late, and deferr [...]d it till the next mornining: However the said Detachment lay all night upon their Arms at the Bal­lance to be ready to fall on in the morning: The Ene­mies, who foresaw they could not keep their Line whilst we could attack them within, drew away their Cannon from it this night. Major-General Linde­deboom mounted the Trenches with Brigad er Fitz-Pa­trick, and the Regiments of Columbine, Fusiliers, Tid­comb and Stanley. The Dutch upon the Left had push'd their Trenches to the Meuse along the Palissades of the covered way; and this night they made some Traver­ses along the narrow Beach under the bank of the Ri­ver, before the point of the Demy Bastion of the Meuse, to come at the Foot of the Digue to mine it; this Digue joyns the point of the Demy-Bastion to the co­vered way, to damm up the Water in the Fossé.

The 20th. early in the morning (being then rainy weather) the Detachment we had ready at the Ballance to attack the Enemies in the inside of their Line, march'd out for this Enrerprise. The Detachment consisted in all of about 8000 men, whereof about 40 [...]0 march'd from the Ballance up the Hill, to get in between the Line and the Casotte, and the other 4000 march'd from the Line [Page 93] of Circumvallation between the Sambre and the Meu [...]e to attack the Line in Front, the Dutch and Bavarians upon the left of the Gate, and the Brandenburgh's upon the right. The Elector of Bavaria was present in the whole Attack. A considerable Detachment of about 1000 Horse and Dragoons was posted between the Ballance and the Abbey of Salsen, to hinder the Enemies from sally­ing this way upon our Men, and the ascent of the Hill of Cohorn cover [...]d them pretty well from the Enemies Cannon-shot. Major General Suerin commanded the Dutch at the Attack in front of the Line upon the left of the Gate, where the Bavarian Battery of 7 pieces of Cannon had began to spoil the parapet. The Dutch and Bavarians march'd up from the Ballance in several Lines, being co­ver [...]d on the left Flank with a good Body of Horse and Dragoons towards the Cohorn, of which we have now spoken. When they came up, the Enemies did not long dispute their two Traverses they had made within the Line, but retired to the perpendicular Line of Communication between the Line and the Casotte: This gave Major-General Swerin opportunity to get over the Line at his Attack, and so to joyn and fall upon the Enemies in this Retrenchment of Communication. The Brandenburghs at the same time kept the Enemies employ [...]d upon the right of the Line towards the Meuse, so that they could not so well defend this Communication, which they were forced at last to yield, and the whole Line, being near an English half Mile in length, and a prodigious Work cut into the very Rock, which cost the Enemies a vast deal of Money and Labour: We gain'd this hardly without any loss not having as yet above 20 men kill'd and wounded. The Enemies had a Battery of 2 pieces of Can­non upon the descent of the Hill of Cohorn towards Salsen, 300 men were detached out of the Bavarian Troops to force the Enemies from this Battery, which they dispu­ted a little, but when they abandon'd it to retire in the Cohorn, we found that they had before sent off the two pieces of Cannon. A Dutch Battallion, with some [Page 94] Bavarian Dragoons sustained the 30) men detach'd, who having forced the Enemy from the Battery, pursued them to the covered way of the Cohorn, where they went, as if they had been to make themselves Masters of the Work, but a great many paid for their rashness, and perished near the upper point of the covered way of the Cohorn. After we had gain'd the Enemies Line, we work'd to make a Lodgment within the Line-parallel to the covered way of the Casotte, which took up all the top of the Hill between the two Rivers. The E­nemies disputed the Lodgment very hard, making a con­tinual sire from the covered wa [...] before the Casotte, and with the Cannon they had in this place; but we at last finished it, which continued in this con­dition till we besieged the Castle; the Guardbeing relieved daily at this Post by a Brigadier and four or five Regiments. 'Twas in making of this Lodgment, and before the Cohorn that we lost most Men, which amounted to about 300 men killed and wounded. A Captain of the Elector's Guards was killed; one of the Elector's Ingeniers, and one of his Gentlemen wound­ed. I have not heard of any other Officers of note. Thus we took this mighty Work design [...]d to render the Castle impregnable, and which would indeed have ren­der'd the attacking of the Castle very difficult if it had been continued down the Hill to the Ballance upon the Sambre; for this Passage being once gain'd, the Line can be attac'd within, which renders it weak and not defensi­ble. And since we have made our selves Masters of Namur, we have work'd to produce this Line down the Hill to the Ballance to fortifie this Pass of the Sambre.

The same day (20.) we sprung a Mine under the Digue to blow it up, to let the Water (by the ruining of this Work) out of the Fossé; but being just upon the Ri­ver, so that we could not get under the Foundation, and the Stone-work being very hard; it could not have any axtra­ordinary effect: However, by this time a great deal of the Digue was beat down, and the Water was considerably sunk [Page 95] in the Fossé. The King had this Day the unfortunate news of Dixmuyde; at which the whole Army was very much concern'd. In the Evening Major General Ramsan had the Trenches, and Brigadier Selwyn, with the Regi­ments of Collingw [...]od, Lauder, Ingeldesby, and Sanderson▪ 21st. The English Battering-pieces, which had come from Ghent to Malines by Water, came pretty near our Camp, un­der a strong Escorte, having been brought by Land from this place, and drawn with our own Horses, a Horse of a Company being commanded out of all the Regiments upon English Pay In this Siege. The Captains were ve­ry willing to do this Service; and some Colonels sent se­veral Horses more than was order [...]d. Major-General Salisch reliev'd the Trenches, and my Lord George Ha­milton, with the Regiments of Maitland, Nassau Selwyn, and Trelawney. 22d. Our Artillery from Malines came in­to the Line to be employ'd in the Siege. One of our Bombs fell into a Magazine of Grenades the Enemies had upon the old Wall, between the old Tower and St. Ni­cholas's Gate; the Bomb blew up the Grenades, and put them on fire, which made such a noise that the Enemies within thought it had been an Assault, and drew out to the Gate as fast as they could to defend the place. At Night Major-General Lindeboom had the Trenches, and my Lord Cutts with the Brigade of Guards, the Dutch Guards excepted, who did Duty at the King's Quarter. The 23d. early in the Morning a Battery of 18 pieces of Cannon of our English Artillery began to play very vigo­rously upon the Face of the Bastion of St. Roch to­wards St. Nicholas's his Gate, and soon beat down all the Stone-work of it; but the Enemies were still Ma­sters of the cover'd way upon the right of the point of this Bastion towards the Porte de Fer; so that it was necessary in order to make afterwards an Attack upon the Breach to extend our Lodgment upon the cover'd way to the right of this Bastion, and consequently to make another Assault to drive the Enemies out of the Traverses they had in this cover'd way, of which they were [Page 96] still Masters. This Assault was resolv'd upon for this Evening for the English, and another for the Dutch upon the breach of the Demy-bastion of the Meuse.

In the Evening Major-General Ramsay had the Tren­ches, and Brigadier Fitz-Patrick, with the Regiments of Seymour, Royal, Columbine, and the Fusiliers. The At­tack began about the relieving of the Trenches, as u­sually, to have the more Regiments to sustain: 200 English Grenadiers were ordered to extend our Lodg­ment upon the Right, and 200 Dutch to make an Assault upon the Breach of the Demy-bastion, Captain Miltitz of Essen's Regiment, and Adjutant [...]General to the Prince of Nassa-Sarbruck▪ commanned the Dutch: The English were commmanded by four Captains, of which Captain Booth of Collingwood was the first. The Attack began but little before Sun-set, and the Dispute lasted ve­ry late in the night. Our Cannon and Mortars made a ter­rible noise, and the Small-shot went on very briskly for a great while. The Enemies disputed their Lodge­ment very long and very well, where some of their Officers signalized themselves very much, paticularly one, who stood a great while upon the very Palissades, ex­pos'd to all the Fire of our Cannon, encouraging his Men, and waving his Hat over his Head: The Earth torn up by the grazing of our Cannon-balls covered him twice or thrice, and when our Officers, who admir'd his Bravery, expected him to be knock'd on the Head, he still got up again: However, in spight of the Enemies resistance we extended our Lodgment considerably up­on the Right. My Lord Cutts, who commanded the Brigade of Guards In the Trenches this day, had Captain Wentworth Lieutenant of the Second Regi­ment of Guards (who waited upon his Lordship to carry his Orders to the Brigade) killed with a Mus­ket-ball just by him. Lieutenant-Colonel Skelton, the Major of the Brigade, commanded my Lord Cutts's Battallion of Guards, so that he could not perform the Duty. [Page 97] The Dutch Granadiers marched on very bravely over the Digue, though it was but narrow, and consequently a very disadvantagious Defilé to attack a Breach; nevertheless they carried it, and lodged themselves upon the Demi-Bastion, of which they continued Masters for above an hour; but the Demi-Bastion being narrow, and the Granadiers crow­ded upon it, the Enemy so pelted them with Granado's from the old Wall within, that they were forced to abandon it, and to Lodge themselves without, at the foot of the Bastion, and though 'twas dark night yet the Artillery still fired very hard to disturb the Enemies, to facilitate our Assault, which was the reason that sometimes our own Cannon did us harm; however, our Loss was not answerable to the terribleness of the noise in the Attack. We had in the Bri­gade of Guards but nine Men killed, and thirteen wound­ed, and I suppose our Loss was proportionable in the other Regiments. In the first Regiment of English Guards, Captain Cripeny and Ensign Shute were wounded: in the Royal Regiment, Lieutenant Archibald Hamilton, wounded; in Selwyn's, Lieutenants Castles, and Corbonnel killed: In Trelawney's, Ensign Nuby killed, Captain Mitchel and Lieu­tenant Cole, wounded: In Stanley's Captain Holiday of the Granadiers wounded; In Maitland's, Lieutenant Carrent, killed. The King did not leave the Attack till all was over, and did not return to his Quarters till after Mid-night. The 24th. our English Battery played very hard upon the Ba­stion de St. R [...]ch, in order to make the Breach Attackable, now that our I odgment upon the Conterscarp was suffici­ently extended for an Assault; all the other Batteries played with the same vigour, and the Brandenburgh's particularly, to make the Breach of the Demi-Bastion more easie, and to Ruine the Half Moon of St. Nicholas. The Bridge of Communication between this Half Moon and the Curtain was quite broke to pieces, so that the Enemies could no more Relieve it. But when we expected yet another Assault upon the Breache [...] for the next day, the Count de Guiscard came himself upon the Breach of the Demi-Passion, where he Ordered a white Flag to be put up, to Capitulate; upon [Page 98] which all the Batteries were immediately ordered to be silent. Lieutenant-Collonel Macartney, Captain of the Scots Guards, who waited upon Major-General Ramsay in the Trenches, was sent to the Breach to know what Count Guiscard desired, who asked to speak with Major-General Ramsay; Whereupon the Major-General went him­self, and after usual Civilities on both sides, the Count de Guiscard told him, That though the Necessity and Condition of their Affairs was not such as to oblige them to Capitulate, yet for the Preservation of the Town, they were willing to give it up upon Honourable Terms, and desired that Ho­stages might be exchanged, to enter upon the terms of the Capitulation. Major-General Ramsay told him, That he would acquaint the Duke of Holstein-Ploen with it, whose Quarter was just by; and that he should have his Answer in an hour. The word of Honour being given on both sides for a Cessation of Arms, during the time, Major-General Ramsay went himself to the Duke of Holstein-Ploen, and from thence to the King, who Dined this day at his own Quar­ter, being come very late from the Attack the over night, and so could not be in the Trenches the next Morning. His Majesty sent the Major-General back to the Trenches, with power to exchange Hostages; and an Express was sent to the Elector of Bavaria, to give him notice of it, and to Commission a Person to Treat with Count Guiscard for the Surrendring of the Town. Major-General Ramsay being returned to the Trenches, acquainted the Count de Guiscard that he could give Hostages to enter into Treaty. Whereupon the Count de Negent, Colonel of the King's Regiment of Dragoons, and the Chevalier de Ville F [...]rt Major of Brigade, came out of the Town for Hostages for the Besieged. Colonel Seymour, and Lieutenant Colonel Sterkin of the Hannouer Troops, and Major of Brigade, went up the Breach into the Town, for Hostages of our side. The Baron de Noirmont went in for the Elector of Bavaria, to Treat about the Terms of the Capitulation; which was after some contestation, agreed upon, and Signed the next day by the Elector of Bavaria; and consisted of the [Page 99] Articles following. Major-General Salisch mounted the Trenches at Night to guard the Posts, with Brigadier Sel­wyn, and the Regiments of Tidcomb, Stanley, Collingwood, and Lauder.

ARTICLES propos'd for the Capitulation of NAMUR, to the Elector of Bavaria, jointly with the Allies, by the Count de Guiscard, Lieute­nant-General of His Most Christian Majesty's Ar­mies, and Governour of Namur.

1. THAT the Roman Catholick Religion only shall be maintain'd and preserv'd in the Town of Na­mur, and that no other shall have a free Exercise there. Granted.

2. That all the Privileges, Franchises, Usages, and Cu­stoms, as well general as particular, which the Ecclesi­asticks, Nobles, and Burghers, have enjoy'd, shall be maintain'd: to them; and that every one of them shall be restor'd to the Enjoyment of their Confiscated Goods. Granted.

3. That all the Burghers, and other Inhabitants of the said Town of Namur, as well French as others, of both Sexes, and of what Quality or Condition soever, shall have the Liberty to remain there, or to leave the Place in Three Months, with their Families and Effects, to retire where they shall think fit, without any Trouble or Inju­ry, whether they be Tradesmen, or that they have any other Employments: For which end, such Passports and Safeguards shall be given them gratis, as shall be requisite. Granted.

4. That none of the said Burghers, nor others of what Nation soever, shall be pursu'd or molested under pretext of the Employments which they have had in the King's Service; and that they shall have a general Amnesty, as well as the Deserters Granted to all but the Deserters.

[Page 100] 5. That the Horses taken in the War, and bought by the Burghers or Officers of the Garrison, or any others, shall not be retaken from them. Granted.

6. That all the Officers, Soldiers. Dragoons, and o­thers, as well French as Strangers, of what Quality or Condition soever, that are Sick or Wounded, either in the Hospitals of the said Town, or in the Burghers Hou­ses, shall be transported to Dinant, with the Physitians, Surgeons, and Apothecaries, and other Persons appointed to tend them; and that the Allies shall provide Boats for them, and other Carriage necessary, paying for it, with sufficient Convoys and Passports, to be safely conducted the shortest way thither, Six Days after the Signing of this present Capitulation.

The Besieged are to provide themselves Boats for the Trans­portation of their Sick and Wounded, and Passports shall be gi­ven them to go to Dinant, to get the Boats and Boat-men requi­site, over and above what shall be found in the Town, which they may make use of, as well as of the Boatmen, upon Condi­tion that they shall send them back again.

7. That the Sick and Wounded, who are not in a Con­dition to be transported, shall remain in the Town in the same Lodgings they have at present, till their perfect Recovery; and that the Allies, at their own Expence, shall furnish them with Victuals and Medicines, according to their Character; and after their Recovery, they shall have Passports and Carriage to be transported safely the shortest way to Dinant. Granted.

8. That the Garrison of the Town shall have Six Days leave, reckoning from the beginning of the Capitulation, to retire into the Castle and Dependencies, with their Families, Domesticks, and Effects; and that during the said Six Days no Hostility shall be committed of either side, neither from the Trenches, nor Batteries, nor from the Town, or Castle; and least there should happen some Disorder between the Troops in the Town during that time, the Allies shall only have the Gate of the outer Wall, and none of the Soldiers of the Allies shall have li­berty [Page 101] to go into the Town, till the Garrison shall be all retir'd in the Castle; and the inner Gate shall be kept by the Garrison till the end of the Six Days.

The Besieged shall have but two Days, beginning the 25th. at Noon, and they shall deliver the Porte de Fer, with the in­ner Gate, or Gate of the old Wall, where the Allies shall have a Guard jointly with the Besieged, to hinder any body from going in, and to prevent Disorders.

9. That the Troops which are in Garrison in the Re­doubts of St. Fiacre, Piednoir, and St. Anthony, shall have leave to come into the Town, to retire in the Castle, the Day after the signing of this Capitulation. Granted.

10. That all those who have been put in any Offices by the King, either Judicatory or others, shall be main­tain'd and continu'd in the exercise of them, and shall enjoy the Rights, Perquisites, and Privileges annexed thereunto. Granted.

11. That no Officers, Sick, Wounded, or others, shall be Arrested for Debt, or for any other Pretext; but that those who can make their Debts justly to appear, shall have Security for their Payment. Granted.

12. That all Contracts and Obligations made be­tween the French and the Inhabitants of the Town, shall be accomplish'd bonâ fide, on both sides, according to their form and tenure, as well as those which have been made with the Magistrates of the Town. Granted, Pro­vided it be not to his Catholick Majesty's Prejudice.

13. That the Officers Equipages and Horses, and the Horses of the Troops in Garrison, shall be conducted safely the nearest way to Dinant, under a good Escort; and that they shall not be search'd, nor stopp'd, nor any other harm done them, either to the Equipage, or to those that take care of it. Denied.

14. That the Prisoners made during the Siege, shall be free'd on both sides. Granted.

15. That all the Hostages shall be conducted safely, and the nearest way to Dinam, under a good Escort. Granted. This Article is understood of the Hostages for Contributions, [Page 102] which the Enemies had in the Town, and which they had the liberty to send to Dinant by this Capitulation.

16. That the Town only shall be yielded by this pre­sent Capitulation, which is between the Sambre, and the Attack of St. Nicholas's Gate; but at the same time that the Besieged shall deliver the Porte de Fer▪ they will also give up the two Towers at the end of the Meuse Bridge, of the Condros side, except the Draw-Bridge, which shall re­main to the besieged. Granted.

By this Capitulation, the Besieged remain'd Masters of that part of the Town which is at the Foot of the Castle, along the Sambre, and along the Meuse, call'd the Basse Ville, or Lower Town.

17. That the Hostages, given for the Security of the Execution of this present Capitulation, shall be restor'd of both sides, after the full Accomplishment of it. Granted.

And that besides, the Besieged shall discover faithfully all their Mines and Fougaces to Persons appointed, which shall be but Three; and the Besieged shall not comm [...] any Disorder among, nor insult the Inhabitants in quitting the Town.

Emanuel, Elector. Guiscard.
Signed at the Camp before. Namur, Aug. 4. 1695. New Stile.

The Evening after the Capitulation sign'd, Colonel Lauder took Possession of the Porte de Fer, with 500 Men, as 'tis agreed upon in the Eighth Article, putting a Guard in the inner Gate, in a Line opposite to the Guard of the Besieged. His Majesty was present, and the French Officers crowded very much upon the Rampart to see the King, ask­ing still where the King was, and which was the King? After we had Possession of this Gate, we began to draw off our Batteries, and the Day following, in the Morning, the Garrison of the Redoubts of St. Fiacre, St. Anthony, and Pieanoir; the two first upon the side of the Hill, be­fore the Town, between St. Nicolas's Gate, and the [Page 103] Porte de Fer, and the last at the Foot of the Hill, before the Porte de Fer, covering the Sluyce of the Brook of Ve­derin, which runs in the Fossè at this Place. We found their Falconnets in these Forts, which had so gall'd us in our Trenches before the Counterscarp; one was of King Henry the Fourth's Reign, with his Artillery Devise upon it, Ratio ultima regum. As soon as the Capitulation was sign'd. Count de Nassu-weilbourg Major-General, was detach'd with about 22 Squadrons of Horse towards Brussels, to join and re-inforce Prince Vaudemont's Army. The Elector of Bavaria nam'd the Count de Brouay Go­vernour of Namur, till such a time as the King of Spain should approve of him, or appoint another: this Govern­ment, with that of Mons, the Citadels of Antwerp, and Ghendt, and the Town of Ostend, being always reserv'd to the King's own Nomination; the rest is at the Choice of the Governours of the Low-Countries. The 27th. the Count de Brouay, Governour of Namur, and Sergeant-General de Bataille, took Possession of the Place, with Six Dutch Regiments, after the French had withdrawn into the Castle. The Town was not much endammag'd by the Siege; that Street only which leads to St. Nicolas's Gate being batter'd by our Cannon and Bombs, it be­ing impossible to fire 'em so justly always, but that some must get into the Town; however, we avoided it as much as we could: And as for the Condition of the Breaches, they were such, that the Besieged could yet have sustain'd another Assault; for the Breach of the Bastion of St. Roch was not yet sufficiently applanish'd to attack it, and if it had been carried by Assault, the Besieged had still a Fosse, and an old Wall within, besides the Retrenchment they had made within the old Wall, to make their Capitulation. But I believe, the Truth is, they had lost so many Men in the defence of the Town, that the Maréchal de Bouflers, and Count de Guiscard, thought it convenient to reserve the rest for the more necessary defence of the Castle, and its strong Appendencies, where they expected a certain Re­lief, and therefore they would provide for a good Resi­stance [Page 104] there to expect it. The Garrison marched into the Castle 7000 effective Men, having lost about 5000. in▪ Defence of the Town, killed, wounded, and deserted; of the last there were a great many, and particularly the day that they evacuated the Town several hundreds hid themselves in the Inhabitants Cellars, and others got over the Walls near the Gate we had in Possession. The French, in quitting this place, broke the Bridge over the Sambre that leads to the Castle, and pulled down all the Houses a­long the Sambre opposite to the Town, to make a good Breast-Work against it.

The same day we took Possession of the Town Count Nassau Lieutenant-General, with Major-Generals Ramsay, Salisch, and Heukelom, Brigadiers Fitzpatrick, Selwyn, and Lord George Hamilton, Frishyem, and Heyden, were sent a­way from the Siege with 30. Battalions, to march towards Brussels, to re-inforce Prince Vaudemont, and to make an Ar­my capable for the future to make Head against Villeroy: Thirteen of these Battalions were English, and seventeen Dutch; Six English remained for the Siege of the Castle, the Battalion of the second Regiment of English Guards, the first Battalion of Dutch Guards, Seymour, Columbine, Stanley, and Lauder. That day the 30. Battalions Com­manded by Count Nassau encamped at Templeux, the same place where we encamped the beginning of the Siege: The English having left a Horse, a Company as before, to bring up our Mortars from Louvain to Namur. The 28th. we marched by Masy to Sombr [...]f, and were re-inforced by 32. Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons, Commanded by Lieutenant-Generals du Puy, and la Forest: Lieutenant Ge­neral du Puy Commanded the Spanish Cavalry, and la Forest the King's and that of the States The 29th we Marched to Genap through the Plains of Fleuri, and by Mell [...]: we passed by my Lord of Athlone's Camp at [...]bercey, which re­mained on our right Flank. After my Lord of Athlone had consumed the Forrage at Herlaymont Capelle, Marimont, and about Binch, he Marched back to the River Pi [...]t [...]n, to Pont de Celles, where he had Encamped before at the begin­ing [Page 105] of the Siege of Namur: From thence, when the Town Ca­pitulated, he marched to this Camp of Libercey, in order to advance towards Prince Vaudemont's Army. The same Even­ing we came to Genap, my Lord of Athlone came up to us, and took the Command of the Army: he brought along with him 80. Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons, so that we had now beside the 30. Battalions, 112. Squadrons. The Cavalry En­camped higher up the Dyle before the Foot, and the Foot with the right at Genap, and left toward the Abbey of Vil­lers-Perwys, with the Causey that goes to Namur before them. The 30th. my Lord of Athlone took his Quarter in Genap, and we halted to observe the motions of the Maréchal de Vil­leroy, who was now advanced as far as Enghien, in order to march back, and take the Post of Masy, if Villeroy should march on to Nivelle: or else to be ready to joyn Prince Vaudemont, if Villeroy should make towards Brussels. In order to this, Lieutenant General du Puy, was Detach'd with 1000. Horse to observe the motions of the Enemy, (the 30th.) and to secure the strong Pass of Braine le Chaste­au, if we should be obliged to march nearer to Brussels: by which the French could otherwise cut off the Commu­nication between us and the Prince, and have hindred us from Incamping at Braine-Alleu, and Waterlo. This brings me back from the Siege of Namur, to speak of our Affairs in Flanders, and of the motions of Prince Vaudemont, and the Enemy's Army.

We have left Prince Vaudemont Encamped at Oostackre, without Antwerp-Porte at Ghendt, between the Scheld, and the Canal of Sasvan-Ghendt, with 18. Battalions, (including Mackay, and Torsay, that lay Incamped upon his Right to defend the passage of the Canal of Sasvan-Ghendt at Mu­lenstein,) and 22. Squadrons of English Horse, and 7. Dutch, all the Dragoons were with the Duke of Wirtemberg near Bruges Villeroy was Encamped with the French Army, since the taking of Deinse, near Ghendt, with his Right at Nevel, and his Left at Gothem upon the Lys where he re­mained five or six days; but before we attend his Army from hence to Brabant, we must not forget the Barbarities [Page 106] and Inhumanities which the French Soldiers Committed in this Desolate Country which was all at their devotion, of the French side of the Canal of Bruges: They Plundred all the Inhabitants, and stripp'd a great many naked; and not only the Villages and Country People felt the Bar­barous Usage of the Soldiers, but the Churches and Cloi­sters; and nothing, though never so Sacred and Holy, could escape their Sacrilegious Hands. They stole all the Chalices that they could find either in Churches or Priests Houses, without any regard to their God and Saviour, whom they pretend to be in it; and Robbed the Transub­stantiated Sacrament of his Dwelling and Habitation. At Torhout, a considerable Borough, they Ruined the Place, Plundered the Inhabitants, stripping the best of them na­ked; and their beastly Fury carried them to the very Cloi­ster, Ravishing, without distinction, the Nuns, as well as other Women: And yet these are the Men whom the French pretend to be the only Defenders of the Catholick Cause; as if the Emperor, and King of Spain, were the greatest Betrayers of this Interest, by their Alliance with the King, and the States of Holland. Whereas, not only those whom they brand with the name of Hereticks, but the very Turks and Barbarians would scarce be guilty of so much disrespect to their Holy Places. This is a short Account of the crying Mischiefs the Enemies committed in Flanders, whilst it was exposed to the Licentious Fury of their Soldiers; and no doubt, they could have done more; they could have Crown'd this Master-piece of Cruelty by the Bombarding of Ghendt, and Bruges, but the French King thought it would make more noise in the World, and more Mischief in the Spanish Netherlands to Bom­bard its Metropolis, the Seat of its Governors, its chief place of Wealth and Trade, and the dwelling of the Court, and of its chiefest Nobility; and then afterwards to Raise the Siege of Namur, and command, or give (as they term it) Peace to Europe. 'Tis in the pursuit of this important Attempt, that we must now follow Villeroy and his Army. Prince Vaudemont having Intelligence of [Page 107] the Enemy's Designs to pass the Scheld, and march towards Brabant, drew Sir David Collier with his eight Battalions, from the Guard of the Canal of Bruges, and the Dragoons from the Duke of Wirtemberg's Army, who joyn'd him back again at Oostackre the day before he marched to Dendermonde. The 26th. the Mar [...]echal de Villeroy re-passed the Lys at Wacken, and Incamped near the Scheld within the Line. Prince Vaudemont having notice of this Motion of the Enemies, decamped the same day from Oostackre, having then 26 Battalions with him, and all the English Horse and Dragoons, (except the Dragoons of Rosse and Cunningham, which remained with Lieutenant-General Bel­lasis, and those which went with the King, of which we have given an Account) making in all 48 Squadrons, he passed the Scheld this day about a League above Dendermond, upon a Bridge of Boats with the Foot, which Encamped along the Scheld as far as this place; the Horse and Dra­goons passed the Scheld at Dendermond and encamped be­tween Dendermond and Baesrode. The next day, the Prince had information that Villeroy was re passing the Lys, which made him suspect that Villeroy had made the motion the day before only to send him towards Brabant, and in the mean while to come back, and pass the Canal of Bruges to put the Paijs de Waes under Contribution, for which Reason the Prince was hastning back again to his former Camp of Oostackre, and had re-passed the Scheld, when he received a more certain Account of Villeroy's Motions, that he was then passing the Scheld to march towards Bra­bant; the Prince then caused the Columnes of the March to Face to the Right-about, and march back towards the Scheld, where the Horse and Foot passed as they had done the day before, and so went with all speed towards Brus­sels, having then a good Account of Villeroy's Orders and Designs: The Army marched the whole night, except a halt it made of two or three hours about the middle of the night; but the Baggage still continued loaded, and the Soldiers rested upon their Arms. The halt being over, the Army march'd on towards the Canal of Brussels, which [Page 108] it pass'd the next Day, the Foot at Vilvorde, and the Horse at Burnt Bridge, and so gain'd that Evening being the 28th. the Camp of Deghem, having march'd two Days and one Night about Thirty six Hours; and notwithstanding the feeble and valetudinary Disposition of the Prince, yet in so long a March he was very often on Horseback, taking care of every thing; his Zeal for the Cause, and Affe­ction for the Service, overcoming all the Infirmities of his Body, which seem'd to make prodigious Efforts to execute the wise Orders of his Mind. By this great March he gain'd the Advantage of the Enemy to get between them and Namur, tho' he could not hinder the Bombarding of Brussels. At the same time that Prince Vaudemont left the Camp of Oostackre to march towards Derdermond, the Duke of Wirtemberg left the Neighbourhood of Bruges, to follow the Prince with all speed, in order to join him with the 12 Battalions under his Command, and march'd the same Day (being the 26th.) to Ghendt.

Villeroy, who had pass'd the Scheld the same Day at Esca­naffe march'd with his whole Army to Lessines upon the River Dender below Aeth, which being a considerable March to pass the Scheld and advance thus far, oblig'd him to halt the next Day, and to stay till all the Artillery, Baggage, and Stragglers, were come up. Montal was left in the Lines with no more Men than was just necessary to do the Duty of a Guard upon them. Sir Henry Bellasis, who encamp'd at Placendal, whilst the Duke of Wirtem­berg was at Bruges, came up to this Place upon the Duke's marching to Ghendt; and the Regiments of Tiffany and Bu­chan, were detach'd from his Body to re-inforce Prince Vau­demont's Army; so that Sir Henry Bellasis had at Bruges un­der his Command, 10 Battalions and 2 Regiments of Dragoons, having drawn off the Regiments of Strathna­ver and George Hamilton, from Newport, and Belcastell from Ostend. The 29th. Prince Vaudemont march'd through Brussels from Deghem, and encamp'd without Halleporte and Fort de Monterey, with his Right upon the Hill that lies just over the River Senne and his Left at the Namur Port; [Page 109] where he immediately order'd the Army to retrench and fortifie this Rising Ground, which was very strong, and where it had been very difficult for Villeroy to have forc'd, even this small Army: The high Ground near the Senne, this River and the Fort de Monterey, fortified his Right; besides the Retrenchments in the Front, it was cover'd by the Bois de Sogne, which came up close to the Left, and Brussels remain'd just in the Rear. Prince Vaudemont could have taken the Camp of Anderleck, where he could (being join'd by my Lord of Athlone and Count Nassau) have prevented the Bombarding of Brussels; but then the Ene­mies would have had the Advantage of us in marching to­wards Namur: so that it was impossible at the same time to cover the Siege of Namur, and to prevent the Bom­barding of this Place. The Foot only of Prince Vaude­ment's Army encamp'd within the Retrenchment, between Halle Porté, and that of Namur; the Cavalry and Dragoons being re-inforc'd with the 22 Squadrons detach'd from the Siege of Namur with Count Nassau Weilbourg, encamp'd at Scarbeck, between Deghem and Brussels, to guard the pas­sages of the Canal, being commanded by Monsieur D' Au­verquerque. But Prince Vaudemont being extreamly fa­tigu'd with the long March to Deghem was forc'd to keep his Bed at Brussels.

Villeroy, who halted the 28th. at Lessines, for all his Ar­my to come up, march'd the 29th. to come nearer to Brussels and at the same time to receive a Convoy of Pro­visions of Artillery, Mortars, and Ammunitions from Mons, pass'd the Dender at Lessines, and encamp'd with his Right near Steinkirk and his left towards Enghein; and here he halted the next day for the Convoy from Mons, which was escorted by the Marquis de Harcourt, who had pass'd the Sambre some days before, to join and re-inforce the Maréchal de Villeroy. My Lord of Athlone, with the Horse and Count Nassau, with the Foot, whom we have brought to the Camp of Genap the 29th. halted here the next day: The Enemies being then at Enghien and Steinkirk, we had not one Piece of Cannon; and [Page 110] we were very much afraid, that Villeroy, instead of going to Brussels, should have march'd to Nivelle; for then we must have retreated from Genap, (which is but a League from Nivelle) to the Camp of Masy: And Prince Vaude­mont being encamp'd at Brussels, the Enemies from Nivelle would have hinder'd his Passage by the Bois de S [...]gne, and Genap; so that he must have march'd about by Louvain, to come to Namur, which consequently would have given the Enemies the Advantage of a March for the Relief of the Siege: But Villeroy had Orders to Bombard Brussels, and he must execute them; which has lost the French the best opportunity they could have to relieve the Siege of Namur. The 30th. Prince Vaudemont was re-inforc'd by the Duke of Wirtemberg, who came up to Brussels this Day with the 12 Battalions under his Command, and encamp'd within the Retrenchment between the Gates of Halle and Namur, where we had now, by this junction, 38 Batta­lions: And this is the mighty Army in whose presence Villeroy bombarded Brussels, which (as the Paris Gazetteer boasted) dar'd not attack the French Army, which sought, by this undertaking, an occasion of fighting, and to bring us to a Battel.

The French being now Masters of all the Country be­tween Brussels, Ghendt, and Dendermond, Sir Henry Bellasis sent Sir Bevil Granville's Regiment to re-inforce the Garri­son of Dendermond, where the Lunenbourgh Regiment of Luck had been order'd before, and march'd himself with the Body under his command to Ghendt. The 31st. the Maréchal de Villeroy being expected before Brussels, my Lord of Athlone had Orders to march from Genap to come nearer to Brussels, to be ready to join Prince Vaudemont, if Ville­roy should offer to attack him in his Retrenchment: Ac­cordingly my Lord of Athlone pass'd the little River Dyle, below Genap upon two Bridges, and encamp'd with his Right at Waterloo in the Skirts of the [...]is de S [...]gne, where the Marquis de Gastanaga has built a very pretty Chapel, made in the Figure of Four Demi-Domes join'd together, and one in the Centre rais'd upon them. This Chapel [Page 111] was dedicated by him to the Virgin Mary, to interceed for Issue to the King of Spain. My Lord of Athlone's Left was at Braine Alleu, and here he had his Quarter in the House where Prince Vaudemont was born: The Causey between Brussels and Genap remain'd in the Rear. Upon our March to this Place, we had 12 Pieces of Cannon sent by Prince Vaudemont. Besides this, Count Nassau-weilbourg was order'd by the Prince to post himself with about 30 Squadrons of Horse along the way through the Bois de Sogne, to make the Communication good from the Army at Brussels to that at Waterloo. In the Evening, his Majesty came from the Camp before the Castle of Namur, with a good Escorte of Horse to Waterloo, where his Majesty lay that Night to conferr with Prince Vaudemont upon the pre­sent Conjuncture of Affairs; who waited the next Day, tho' still indispos'd upon the King. The same Day, (31.) the Maréchal de Villeroy march'd from Enghien and Stein­kirk, in order to execute the Commands of his Master against Brussels, and encamp'd with his Right within two English Miles of Anderlecht, and his Left at Halle. My Lord of Athlone commanded a good Guard at Braine le Chasteau to defend the Passage from Halle to his Camp, and the same Evening Rantzaw's Brigade was commanded from the Army within the Retrenchment, to encamp be­tween Anderlecht Porte and that of Flanders, for the Defence of the Town on this side, being the only Place where the Enemies could make an Attack. The Magistrates, upon the first News of the Enemies coming towards them, had stopp'd up all the Sluces of the River Senne, which run under the Walls of this Town and through the lower part of it, which by degrees o'erflow'd all the bottom from the Canal before the Gates of Flanders and Anderlecht quite to that of Halle, and all the Meadows near the Banks of the Senne from Brussels to Anderlecht: But the Country between Anderlecht Porte and that of Flanders, being pret­ty high, and the bottom near the Ramparts but narrow, the Water could not so overflow here, but that the Ene­mies cou'd make their Batterie; of Cannon and Mortars [Page 112] just by the Place, and near enough to ruine afterwards the best and the most wealthy part of the Town.

The first of August the French advanc'd to come close to Brussels, August. and encamp'd this Day with the Right towards the Canal of Brussels and the Left beyond Anderlecht to­wards Halle: The Marquis de Harcourt was left at Halle, to make the Communication good between Mon [...] and the Army. All this being join'd together, Villeroy was suppos'd to have full [...]00 Battalions, and about 220 Squadrons▪ for besides the Regiments he had from Montal's Army to en­crease his own, the French King had order'd out of his Frontier Garrisons all the Regiments he could possibly spare to make up a formidable Army: So far that I have heard several of our Officers that have been Prisoners this Year with the Garrisons of Dixmuyde and Deinse, say, That they cou'd easily have master'd the Towns they were sent to, if they had had but Arms; so weak were their Garrisons. And over and above all this, the Maréchal de Villeroy still expected a Detachment from the Rhine, and some Regiments from the Coasts of Normandy and Britanny, and the rest of the French and Swisse Guards, which had remain'd to mount the Guard upon the French King's Person: All this was hastening to join the Maré­chal de Villeroy, to march to the Relief of Namur, after Brussels should have suffer'd the severe Effects of our Ene­mies Anger, or rather of the provoking Disappointments they met with in this Campaign. Upon this March of the Maréchal de Villeroy before Brussels [...]0 Battalions were detach'd from my Lord of Athlone's Army at Water­loo, to re-inforce the Army of Prince Vaudemont, commanded by Major-General Heukelem; Four were English, Collingwood, Ingoldsby, Saunderson and Maitland; And this Night we mounted a Guard of 100 Men a Battalion between the Gates of Anderlecht and Flanders, being in all 3800 Men, commanded by a Major-Gene­ral, a Brigadier, and other Officers proportionably. Ma­jor General la M [...]l [...]re mounted the first with Brigadier [Page 113] Erle. This same Evening Colonel Tiffeny's Regiment came up to Brussels, having been detach'd from Lieutenant-General Bellasis his Army in Flanders, with the Regiment of Buchan, which was commanded for that time to Gar­rison in Malines. Ransaw's Brigade was re-inforc'd with 4 Battalions more; so that besides the Guard commanded by the Major-General, between 4 and 5000 Men en­camp'd within the Ports of Flanders and Anderlecht.

During all this hurry, and terrible preparations for the Bombarding of Brussels, the Elect'ress of Bavaria was in her 7th. Month big with Child; which so affected her, that she miscarried this Evening of a Boy, to the great Grief of the Elector of Bavaria, and the whole Court, and I dare say no less, to the Regret of the King and Queen of Poland: This Miscarriage made the Elect'ress dangerously ill; and the Elector at this time was carrying on the Siege of the Castle of Namur. So that the French Bombs have not only kindled a Fire in Brussels, but (may be) as far as Warsaw, where the French Ambassador has us'd all his Art to extenuate the Matter at the Court of Poland. At Night the Enemies open'd the Trench between the Fauxbourg of Coukelberg and the Gate of Anderlecht, to erect here their Batteries, where they could not only bring them nearer to the Town, but also the Town lying upon the descent of a Hill towards this Place, it was all open and expos'd to the Enemy's Cannon and Mortars; and that which did very much facilitate the making of their Bomb batteries close to the Town, was two great Barns, one thatched and the other slated, just t'other side of the over-flow'd bottom before Anderlecht Porte: They work'd securely and undiscover'd behind these two Barns, where they had placed their Mortars; and because the thatch'd Barn could easily be set on fire by our Cannon from the Rampart, they fill'd it all up with Earth to hinder the effect of the fire. There was a good Breast-work up­on the Causey between Brussels and Anderlecht, where the Garrison had always an advanc'd Guard: This Post was now defended by a Major and 200 Men; but because it [Page 114] was too near Anderlecht the head Quarter, by which, Par­ties could go into their Camp every Night from the Town, the Maréchal de Villeroy order'd a good Detachment of the French and Swiss Guards to attack this Post about Midnight; which the Major defended very bravely for near an Hour, but was at last forc'd to yield to the Enemies Power: The Fire of this Attack alarm'd our Camp, but without any farther Consequence. The Enemies having this Post, plac'd Guards in all the Houses along the Causey to the ve­ry Gate of Anderlecht, the Meadows on both sides of it lying [...]under Water. The 2d. in the Morning we found that the Enemies were working at their Trench, which they had drawn almost parallel to the Walls of the Town, between Anderlecht and Flanders Portes; which Work they had considerably advanc'd. The Magistrates of Brussels had order'd all their best Cannon to be mounted upon the Bastions and Half-moons on this side of the Town, of which some of them were 24 Pounders; but they were so ill provided with Ammunition that they could be but ill served: They had 24 Pounders, but they had no Ball for this Ca [...]bre, their biggest being 12 pound Ball; their Gunners had but little Experience, and we supply'd 'em with a Detachment of our own. However, the Cannon play'd the whole Day from the Town, and did the Enemies some Mischief, and kill'd them several Men, tho' not so many as they would have done, nor ruin'd so much their Works, if they had had better Ball to good Cannon. Some fir'd from the Bastions and Half-moons of Anderlecht Porte against the Enemies Trenches, others aganst the two Barns; these fir'd with red Ball to put them on [...]ire; and others from the Bastion, upon the Right of Halle Porté, against the Houses the Enemies possess'd along the Causey, but with little or no effect. This Evening, Major-General Churchil mounted the Guard of the Town against the E­nemies with Brigadier C [...]llier. The King return'd from Waterloo this Day to the Camp before the Castle of Namur; and the next, the Elector of Bavaria came from thence to visit the Elect'ress, and also to assist the People of the [Page 115] Town as much as lay in his Power, with his Presence, with his Authority, and with his Counsel: And indeed he was sensibly touched with the Misfortunes and Barbarous Usage of this poor Town, and expos'd himself among the thickest of the Bombs to encourage the People, and to comfort them in their Losses, and to keep order as much as was possible in so much Confusion and Misery. The 3d. in the Morning, the Enemies had finished their Trench and Battteries; they had made two Batteries, of about 10 Pieces of Cannon each, upon the heighth of the Rising Ground behind their Trench; they had a deep hollow way just within their Trench, which very much added to the strength and safety of it; and they mounted it daily by the Left, towards Flanders Porte, under the cover of Hedges, and rows of Trees. Between Twelve and One of the Clock, the Maréchal de Villeroy sent the fol­lowing LETTER to the Prince of Bergues, Gover­nour of the Town, by a Trumpet dated from the Camp at Anderlecht the 13th. of August, New Style, about Noon.

THE King being full of Goodness towards his Subjects, and Care to contribute to their Defence, seeing the P. of O. sends his Fleet upon the Coasts of France, to bombard his Sea­port Towns, and endeavour to ruine them, without getting any other Advantage by it, has thought that he cou'd not put a stop to such Disorders, but by using Reprisals; which is the Reason that his Majesty has sent me an Order to come and bombard Brus­sels, and at the same time to declare, that 'tis with Reluctancy that the King has put himself upon it; and that as soon as he shall be assur'd, that the Sea-Ports of France shall be no more Bombarded, the King likewise will not bombard any Places be­longing to the Princes against whom he is at War, reserving ne­vertheless the liberty on both sides, to do it in such Places as shall be besieg'd. His Majesty has resolv'd upon the Bombarding of Brussels with so much the more Pain, that the Elect'ress of Ba­varia is there: If you will let me know in what part of the Town she is, the King has commanded me to forbid to fire there. [Page 116] I shall stay for your Answer till Five of the Clock in the Eve­ning; after that, I shall obey the Orders the King has given me without delay.

The Prince of Bergu [...]s having receiv'd this Letter, com­municated it to the Elector, and immediately after sent the following ANSWER, dated at Brussels the 13th. of August, New Style, 1695.

SIR,

THE Declaration you have sent me of the Orders you have from the King your Master, to Bombard the Town of Brus­sels, and the Reason which his said Majesty does alledge, upon which you demand an Answer, it cannot be given by his Electo­ral Highness, who is just now arriv'd, since it regards the King of Great-Britain, who is before the Castle of Namur; but his Electoral Highness will acquaint him with it, to have an Answer in 24 Hours, if you agree to it. As for the Consi­sideration his most Christian Majesty has for the Elect'ress, she is [...]t the King's Palace.

A Manifesto of the same Nature was publish'd in the Paris-Gazette only with this difference. That it magnifies more the French King's Reluctancy to such Undertakings, and his Abhorrence of such Executions, as if he knew nothing of the Matter before, till the Inhumane Allies taught it him at Dieppe, Havre-de-Grace, St. Malo's Gran­ville, and Calais. Besides, That the Allies had hitherto made it their principal Glory to bombard Places, which had no other share in the War, but their Sighs, Wishes, and Prayers to see an end of it. Alas! poor People! they have had no other share in the War, but their Wishes for Peace, they have not done the least Prejudice to the English and Dutch Commerce, and Navigation; their Pri­vateers have not infested our Coasts, and enrich'd them­selves by the Spoils of our best Merchant-Ships. No, these poor innocent harmless People have had no share in [Page 117] the Mischiefs of this War, they have remain'd quiet at home praying for Peace. The Gentleman adds, That it has been in the King's Power to bombard the Towns be­longing to the Allies, but that he had hitherto avoided it, expecting that the Allies themselves would put a stop to such Proceedings, but now that he was forc'd to it by way of Reprisal; witness Liege; 'tis true that he could have bombarded Ghendt and Bruges this Campaign, but the bombarding of Brussels would make more noise of the invincible Monarch's Power; and then the Castle of Na­mur was press'd, and the French were resolv'd to attempt the Relief of it, so that we need not thank the French King's Goodness if Ghendt and Bruges escap'd. At last the Manifesto concludes with magnifying the Greatness of the Action, that it was done in the Face of Prince Vaude­mont's Army, who did not dare to prevent the Bombarding of this Place, by hazarding of a Battel; whereas Villeroy's Army only look'd for an occasion of fighting. And here he tells a Truth which he all along seem'd to conceal: Be­fore, the Bombarding of Brussels was for a Reprisal to re­turn the Mischiefs upon this Town, which the English and Dutch did to the Sea-Ports of France; but now at last it is to bring the Allies to a Battel, that they attempt the bom­barding of Brussels: They thought the Allies would have hazarded any thing rather than suffer the burning of this Town; but they have been mistaken, and Namur taken; their coming before Brussels has not reliev'd it as they ex­pected.

As for Villeroy's Letter, it is more a Wonder that such Reasons should be alledged for the bombarding of it, than that the French King should bombard it at all: For the ways of the French are so well known, that without pretending to alledge any thing to justifie their Proceeding, I dare say no body wou [...]d have been surpriz'd at it: But to pretend to bombard Brussels with Pain and Reluctancy, as if they were forc'd to it by way of Reprisal▪ and as if his Most Christian Majstey abhorr'd such Proceedings, is such inco­herent Stuff, that the whole World knows the contrary. [Page 118] If a Man red this Letter that knew nothing of the Actions of the fore-going Years, he would believe the French to be the most merciful People in the World, and that they did not know what Bombarding was, till we had taught it them. Whereas this barbarous Treatment of Towns is wholly due to them, and 'tis they themselves that have first practis'd it in the World: They began first with Argiers; and 'tis 12 Years since they began to treat Christians in the same man­ner as they had chastis'd this Nest of miscreant Pyrates. Genoua, Audenarde▪ and Luxembourg, above all Places, should not read the Maréchal de Villeroy's Letter. But in this War the French have more openly practis'd their incendiary Trade; they have not only bombarded Liege, the last Campaign was Four Years, but at the beginning of this War, they have more cruelly and barbarously destroy'd Towns that were in their own Possession, and that rely'd upon the publick Faith of their own Capitulations: Some Reason may be alledg'd to justifie the bombarding of an Enemy's Town. We have bombarded their Sea Ports, because they doe us all the Mischief they can: But what Reason can be given for the burning of so many Towns in the Palatinate, that had deliver'd themselves up to the Dauphin's Army, as Worms, Spire, Openheim, and Franken­dal, Manheim, and afterwards Heidelberg? In short, if the Enemies publish'd these Reasons to fling Dust in the Eyes of the Allies, they have been mightily mistaken; and whereas they would have thrown the original Cause of the bombarding of Brussels upon the King of England, to animate the People of this Country against him, their Mine has sprung backwards, and has rather serv'd to en­crease their Hatred against the French. They know that we have bombarded those Nests of Privateers that inter­rupt and spoil our Trade to the utmost of their Power; but they expected better Treatment to a Town that had never done the French the least harm, but had rather in a manner a free Trade with them▪ so far the bombarding of Brussels has done a great deal of Mischief to the French King's own Subjects, who had vast Effects in this Town, [Page 119] and several have been ruin'd by it; but Mischief must be done, to magnifie an invincible Monarch's Power in 'spite of the Siege of Namur, let it fall where it will. I have yet omitted a considerable Reflexion upon this Letter, and that is, That the Maréchal de Villeroy would have an An­swer from the Town in Five Hours about a Proposal to make a Cessation of Bombarding on both sides, which re­garded not only the King but all the Allies; and yet this Answer must be given in Five Hours, else he must exe­cute without delay the Orders of his Master, which makes his Letter a Jest, and nothing else.

As Villeroy had promis'd to execute the Orders of his Ma­ster after Five of the Clock, he was then as good as his Word. Between Five and Six the Enemies began to throw their Bombs into the Town, firing them one by one, and their red Balls, till about Ten of the Clock at Night. The Marquis de Mirmont Major-General had then the Guard towards the Enemy, with Brigadier Packmoer. About this time of Night the Enemies began to play most furiously, with their Mortars and red Balls by whole Bat­teries: The Fire was then in several Places of the Town, and there they were sure to throw their Bombs, and fire their red Balls to encrease the Fire, and to hinder the Inhabi­tants from quenching of it: They had 25 Mortars in two Batteries behind the two Barns, which (I reckon) they fir'd three times an Hour round at least, and all together, so that one could see 25 Bombs at once in the Air, which they immediately follow'd with their Batteries of Cannon, charg'd with red Balls, which did so much the more Exe­cution, that the most wealthy part of the Town is all open on this side lying upon the descent of a Hill towards the River: The Enemies continu'd this Fire-work all Night. The next Day we fir'd upon them as much as we could from our Batteries by the Gate of Anderlecht, still en­deavouring to beat down the Barns about their Ears which cover'd their Mortars The Chevalier de Montgon, and Two Officers of the French King's Guards were kill'd with a Cannon Ball by the Duke du Maine. The whole Day [Page 120] the Enemies fir'd with their Mortars and Cannon as they had done the Night before; and by this time the Stadthuys and Market-Place was all burnt down and several Streets about it. They neglected the nearest part of the Town, towards the Gates of Anderlecht and Flanders, as being the poorest: The upper or nobler part of the Town, about the Court, and towards the Gate of Namur, they could not reach, but 'twas the Wealthy and Trading Part they were resolv'd to destroy, which lay about the Heart of the Town. In the Evening, Major-General La Meloniere had the Guard with Brigadier St. Paul. The Elector of Bava­ria order'd besides, a Detachment of Ten Squadrons of our Horse, encamp'd at Scarbeck, to guard all the Streets lead­ing to the Fire, to prevent Rogues and Thieves from go­ing in, and to prevent all Disorders; the Ten Squadrons were commanded by a Brigadier. A Detachment of Foot was also order'd to go in, and help the Burghers to pull down the Houses, and quench the Fre. At Night the Wind grew high and stormy, which very much enrag'd the Fire, and made the Mischief of the Enemies Bombs and red Balls greater than it would otherwise have been. Notwithstanding the Care that was taken to prevent Plun­dering in the Confusion of the Fire, several Soldiers made a shift to get within the Guards, and plunder'd the Hou­ses whilst they were burning: The Elector of Bavaria caus'd one to be hang'd upon the spot. Several Thieves of the Town took (no doubt) this convenient occasion to make Booty; for the Inhabitants thought that the Enemies Bombs could not reach beyond the Market-Place, which made them crow'd all their Wealth in the Houses beyond it, where they thought them secure; but 'twas in these very Places that the thickest of the Enemies Bombs fell, which made the Inhabitants Loss so much the greater. The 5th. about Nine of the Clock in the Morning, the Mortars ceas'd, and about Noon the Cannon, having fir'd from Saturday. Six of the Clock in the Evening to this time, and always (except the first three or four Hours) by whole Batte­ries, which made the most terrible Bombarding that (I [Page 121] believe) ever has been known, and render'd the Town a most piteous and dismal Spectacle. They fir'd their Mor­tars, being 25 in number, 39 hours full; which being (as I computed it) fir'd three times an hour at least, amounts to 2925 Bombs thrown into the Place. The fire of the Cannon lasted from the same time Saturday Night till Mon­day Noon, in all 42 hours, which at three times an hour amounts to 2268 red Balls. This Computation of the Bombs and Red Balls, is (I dare say) much within com­pass. And indeed, the Damage done to the Town has too much answer'd the Enemies terrible Preparations; all the Heart of the Town (the Wealthy and Trading Part of it) being burnt down to the very Ground: and as the Figure of the Town is Oval, so are the Ruines caus'd by the Enemy, rekoning your cross Diameters of the Circle, the one from the Stein Porte to the Fish-Market, and the other from half way up the Berg-street, and near the Wood-Market, over the Market-Place, and so towards the Ram­part between Halle Porte and that of Anderlecht; all this is in a manner burnt down to the Ground, with a great many rich Churches, and fine Cloysters involv'd in the Ruines. The last Church they burnt, which was that without Steine Porte, they seem'd to do it on purpose on the Monday Morning, firing all their Red Balls upon it; and this was the wealthiest Parish-Church in Brussels, be­ing enrich'd within with very costly Ornaments, such as Altars, (which were the finest and the most stately in the Town) Pictures, and Images, and abundance of Marble and Porphyry to adorn and set out the Altars. It is no wonder that several Churches should suffer in the thick of such a Conflagration, and so this cannot be taxed of par­ticular disrespect to these Holy Places: But that this Church shou'd be particularly singl'd out, as it was in the Monday Morning, cannot but be thought on with horrour, by Per­sons who believe that their Saviour dwells there Bodily: And yet this has been done by those very Persons who pre­tend to be the only Asserters and Maintainers of this Ca­tholick Cause.

[Page 122] A little before the Enemies Mortars had done, we at last fir'd with our Red Balls one of the Barns, behind which the Enemies had made their Bomb-Batteries; and it had been well for the Town if they had pull'd them down at first, as soon as they heard of the Enemies ap­proach; they had then wanted this Conveniency of bring­ing their Mortars under cover so close to the Town. Af­ter the Enemies had done with their Mortars and Cannon, they began this Afternoon to draw them off their Batte­ries; and because 'twas expected the Army wou'd have march'd back towards Halle, the General beat in our Camp by Brussels, to be ready to march of our side: However the French did not stir; which made some People believe they design'd to exchange their Batteries, and bring them towards the Lacker Porte, and the Canal, to burn the King's Magazines of Hay, which were of the other side, and see how far their Bombs would reach in the Town this way. But I suppose their Bombs were spent, and the King's Ma­gazines, which were very great, were sav'd. The farthest Bomb the Enemies shot from before Anderlecht Porte, reach'd just below Prince Vaudemont's House, belonging to the King, and just by the Court; it broke in the fall before it came to the Ground, and a piece of the Shell kill'd an Eng­lish Woman in the Street: She was dress'd like a Gentle­woman, and had a considerable quantity of Gold and Sil­ver in her Pocket; but I have never heard who she was. The 6th. the Enemies having drawn off the Day and Night before all their Cannon and Mortars, (tho' not with­out Loss, for the Cannon from the Town still fir'd upon them the Afternoon before, during their Work) they sent them back again to Mons before with a strong De­tachment, and their Army was ready to follow them. The 7th. the Maréchal de Villeroy withdrew his Army from before Brussels, and march'd back and encamp'd between Halle, and Enghien. The same Day, the Two Battalions that had been detach'd from my Lord of Athlone's Army at Braine Alleu to Brussels, under Major-General [Page 123] Heukelem, march'd back through the Bois de Sogne, and rejoin'd my Lord of Athlone, who had now chang'd his Camp, with his Right before Braine Alleu, and his Left towards Bois-Seigneur-Isaac, to be nearer to defend the Passage from Halle to Namur at Braine le Chasteau. This Night the Artillery march'd from Prince Vaudemont's Army, and the Baggage, towards Genap; and the next Day, Prince Vaudemont follow'd with his Army, marching upon one Line through the Bois de Sogne: My Lord of Athlone like­wise march'd from his Camp at Braine Alleu, and the Ca­valry from Scarbeck, commanded by Monsieur D'Auver­querque, (which march'd through Brussels, and the Bois de Sogne;) and so both Armies join'd in one Line of Battel, encamping with the Left at Genap, and the Right at Wa­terlo, with the Causey of Brussels before us: Prince Vau­demont had his Quarter at a House call'd the King's House upon it. And this is the first time since the Siege of Na­mur, that we had an Army to oppose the Maréchal de Vil­leroy, which consisted of 182 Squadrons and 70 Batta­lions, including that of Buchan, which had not yet join'd us from Malines, where he had been sent to Garrison du­ring the Bombarding of Brussels: And the Elector of Ba­varia went back this Day from Brussels to the Siege of Nam [...]r.

Villeroy was now encamp'd between Enghien and Stein­kirk, epecting the Rhine Detachment, the Remainder of the King's House, and some Battalions from the Coast, to march to the Relief of Namur, which they made sure of, and so to give (as they boasted) Peace to Christendom. The Rhine Detachment was already arriv'd at Rocroy the 7th. having march'd through Lorrain, Luxembourg, and Champagne, being now upon the Frontiers of Hainault, were Monsieur de Pracontal Major-General was sent to march them up to Villeroy's Army. This Detachment con­sisted of 12 Battalions, 3 of Champagne, 2 of Anjou, 2 of la Châtre, 1 of Thiange, 2 of Lorrain, and 2 of Blaisois; and 4 Regiments of Dragoons of 3 Squadrons each, in [Page 124] all 12 Squadrons [...], being the Regiments of Gobert, E­strade, Br [...]toncelle, and Sailly. At the same time that the Enemies had made this Detachment from the Rhine, the Prince Lewis of Baden made another for Flanders to coun­terballance it, the King having writ to the Prince before, that if the French King order'd a Detachment from the Rhine to the Low-Countries, he should send another to re­inforce our Army, and make head against all the united Forces of Villeroy. This Detachment consisted of 10 Batta­lions, of the Troops of Lunenburg and Hesse, and 22 Squa­drons commanded by Count de Lippe, Velt-Maréchal of the Landtgrave of Hesse's Forces; but the Landtgrave himself, who is extreamly affection'd to the common Cause of the Allies, but more particularly to his Majesty's, and the Pro­testant Interest, came himself to command in Person: He arriv'd at the Camp before Namur the 5th. of August, with the Prince his Son; his Army follow'd him, having march'd from Prince Lewis's Army upon the Neckre to the Rhine at Coblentz, from whence the Foot came down by Water to Cologne, and by this time they were got between Aix la Chapelle and Liege.

The 8th. Prince Vaudemont decamp'd from between Ge­nap and Waterlo, and march'd upon the Left to Sombref, passing the Dyle at old Genap, upon four Bridges laid over this little River, two for each Column, and so on between the Abbey of Villers Perwijs upon our Left Flank, and Melle upon our Right, the Artillery and Baggage by the Causey. We came late to the Camp, by reason of some Desilés which interrupted our March between these two Places. Prince Vaudemont had his Quarter at Sombref, with our Left here, and our Right at Marbais, and the Plains of Fleury before us▪ The 10th. we march'd still on upon the Left, to take up the strong Camp of Masy. Buchan's Regi­ment join'd us upon this March from Malines. We en­camp'd at Masy, our two Lines in the Figure of a Semi­circle; the Convex part of it at Masy, our Right before Temploux and the Cense or Farm de Boquet, and our Left be­tween Spy and Melmont towards the Sambre. Prince Vau­demont [Page 125] took his Quarter at Golsines, an old ruinous Castle, formerly the dwelling-Place of the Counts of Namur. Fitspatrick's, and Selwyn's Brigades, encamp'd before the Prince's Quarter, at Bessire, to take up a high Ground which forms a Tongue of Land towards Masy, something steep towards Sombref, and cover'd with thick Woods. Some Horse and Dragoons encamp'd upon the left of these two Brigades, close to the Village of Bessire, and two Regi­ments of Dragoons at the Prince's Quarter. And because this is the Camp that must decide the Fate of the Castle of Namur, I shall give a short Description of it. There is a little River that has its spring about Gemblours, and falls into the Sambre, which contributes very much to the strength of this Camp; for in its short course to the Sam­bre, it runs along a narrow Valley, with Hills upon each side, which makes the Passage of it difficult, and so much the more that the side of the Hills towards the River is cover'd with thick Trees. At Masy the Ground is more le­vel on both sides of the River, which makes this a consi­derable Passage, being the only one from Gemblours to the Sambre that is convenient for an Army. Beyond Masy, as this River comes near the Sambre by Melmont, it runs at the Foot of a steep Hill cover'd with thick Trees, which made our Left between Spy and Melmont inaccessible to the Enemy. Our Right was cover'd from Bessire and Golsines, the Prince's Quarter, (besides the little River now menti­on'd) with several thick Woods, as far as Gemblours; and there was no passage from the Enemy into this Camp, but by Gemblours, Conroy le Chasteau, and so to the narrow Plain before our Camp taken up by the Brigades of Fits­patrick and Selwyn, which Plain goes from Gemblours to Bessire, with a Wood upon the Right, and another upon the Left: This we took care to fortifie with a Retrenchment from the River of Masy (which the Maps call Orne) to Prince Vaudemont's Quarter, cross this narrow Plain, to defend the Passage from Gemblours to our Camp. Masy (which is a Gentlemen's House just upon the little River now mention'd, where it commands a Stone Bridge over [Page 126] it) is two Leagues distant from Namur, and is the Passage from thence to Brussels, Mons, and Charleroy. And being now so near this Place, it brings me to speak of our Pro­gress in the Siege of the Castle, Cohorne, and other Out­works between the Sambre and the Meuse, which render it one of the strongest Fortresses of Christendom.

We took Possession of the Town (as we have said be­fore) the 27th. of July, after the French had all withdrawn into the Castle for the defence of it; We quitted likewise the Line of Circumvallation before the Town, which of it self, with the Sambre and the Posts we had upon it at the Abbey of Salsen, and the Ballance, did sufficiently in­vest the Castle. Thirty Battalions, English and Dutch, were sent the same Day out of this Line of Circumvalla­tion to join Prince Vaudemont; and the day after, (28th.) the King left his Quarter at Maison rouge, to get t'other side of the Sambre at the Abbey of Malogne, which hitherto had been the Elector's Quarter; he left it to the King, and took his Quarter, during the Siege of the Castle, at a Cloyster of the Carmelites near the Meuse: The rest of the Troops before the Town pass'd the Sambre (whereof Six were English) to be employ'd in the Siege. So that we had now before the Castle, to carry on the Siege, 42 Bat­talions. The English Regiments of Seymour, Columbine, Stanley, and Lauder, encamp'd at the Maison Blanche, the Duke of Holstein Ploen's Quarter, opposite to Flavennes. The next Day, Collonel Seymour's Regiment mounted in the Line we had made before the Casotte when we gain'd the Stone Line made by the French: Captain Con­grave of the same Regiment was kill'd. And this Day the manner of mounting the Trenches before the Castle was agreed upon: That it shou'd be mounted by Detach­ments of 100 Men out of each Regiment, making the Number of 4000 Men, (besides 700 Men to work) com­manded by a Major-General, a Brigadier, Four Collonels, Four Lieutenant-Collonels, Four Majors, and one Major of Brigade, 37 Captains, 40 Lieutenants, and 35 Ensigns: The two Battalions of Guards gave none. The 30th. ac­cording [Page 127] to this Regulation, Count de Rivera, Major-Ge­neral of the Bavarians, mounted the Guard of the Lines, and my Lord Cuts Brigadier, with the Colonels Lauder, Stochausen, Marquet, and Count d'Enhoff Colonel of the Brandenbourghs, who had the Misfortune to be wounded. The 31st. the King went from hence to my Lord of Athlone's Camp at Waterlo. At Night Major-General Arnheim, of the Brandenbourgh Troops, mounted the Guard, with the Prince of Holstein Norbourg Brigadier, and Colonels Stanley, Sparre, Capol and Bekel, the last of Brandenbourghs. The Enemies still fir'd from the Casotte and cover'd way upon our Line, but hitherto with little damage. The 1st. of August, Major-General Lindeboom commanded, with Brigadier Dedem, and Colonel Seymour commanded the English Detachment. We had by this time finish'd several Batteries to fire against the Castle and Cohorne, being ready for the Cannon and Mortars. The 2d. some of the said Batteries began first to play, 20 Pieces of Cannon dispos'd in Three Batteries at the Fauxbourg St. Croix upon the Sambre, just without Brussels Porte, which fir'd against the side of the Cohorne opposite to the Sambre. We had another Battery of the Brandenbourgh side of the Meuse to fire against the Lower Town along this River; besides several Mortars to incommode the Enemies in the Lower Town, and to hinder their co­ming to the Water-side. We had another of [...] Hau­bitz and Four Mortars upon the Left of our Line, before the Casotte towards the Sambre: But all this did no great damage to the Enemies. Major-General Cohorne, who had the Management of the Siege of the Castle, was preparing another Entertainment for them from the Town. For tho' Count Guiscard pretended to deliver up the Town for its Safety and Preservation, not that they were forc'd to it by the Necessity of their own Affairs, yet it was for­got in the Capitulation; wherein there was no Provision made to prevent Hostilities between the Town and Ca­stle, as it had been agreed upon in the Capitulation made with the French when they took it. At Night Major-Ge­neral [Page 128] Sweryn commanded, with my Lord Cuts Brigadier, and Colonel Columbine of the English. We open'd the Trench this Night before the Cohorne in two places, to make two parallel Lines for our Approaches between the Cohorne and the Sambre. The first upon the Right was open'd at the Left of our Line against the Casotte, produ­cing it down the Hill towards the Sambre: The second upon the Left, where the English mounted, was open'd in the Descent of the Hill nearer to the Sambre. A Branden­bourgh Major was wounded this Night. The 2d. in the Evening, His Majesty came back to the Siege from the Camp at Waterlo by Brussels; and the next Morning his Electoral Highness went to see the Elect'ress that had mis­carried upon the Approach of the French before Brussels, and to be present to give his Orders during the bombar­ding. The same Day, Major-General la Cave of the Brandenbourgh Forces reliev'd the Trenches, with the Prince of Holstein Norbourg Brigadier, and Colonel Lauder. I shall omit the Names of the other Colonels, being For­raigners, and unknown in England. We continu'd to ad­vance our Trench upon the Right down the Hill, and the other upon the Left nearer to the Sambre, between which we began to work at a Line of Communication. The Besieged had Three Fauconets or Drakes within the Pallisado's of the Casotte to fire upon our Workmen, from whence they would sometimes detach small Pellotoons of Men to incommode our Work. The 4th. Major-General Rivera, and Brigadier Dedem, mounted the Trenches: Colonel Stan­ley commanded the English. We advanc'd our Trenches near 250 Paces, which Work we travers'd with Fascines to hinder it from being flock'd by the Enemy. On the other side of the Meuse, opposite to the foot or first precinct of the Terra nova, at the bottom of the Hill, we open'd a Battery of 17 Pieces of Cannon to fire against the Lower Town, and the Horn-work of Bale. We re-inforc'd at the same time our Battery before Brussels Porte at Sancte Croix against the side of the Cohorne. Upon the Right of all towards the Meuse, where our great Line against the [Page 129] Works of the Castle finishes, we plac'd three 12 Pounders in the room of three others of a lesser Calibre, to fire in the Lower Town which lay open to our view from this Place. Lieutenant Wallis of the Royal Regiment, one of our En­gineers that serv'd in the Siege of the Castle, was woun­ded this Night. The other English Engineers were, Major Blood, then of Colonel Seymour's Regiment, now Lieute­nant-Colonel to Sir Matthew Bridges his Regiment, known before for his Services of this kind in Ireland; Captain Burgh, of the Royal Regiment, Son to the late Lord-Bishop of Ardagh; and Lieutenant Richards, of Brigadier Sel­wyn's Regiment, Brother to Colonel Richards; who all gave very good Proofs of their Abilities in this kind.

The 5th. we produc'd our Trenches 100 Paces, turn­ing the Line to the Left towards the Sambre, and the Point of the Cohorne, where we made an Angle saillant, turning again a little to the Right, which we advanc'd 100 Paces more. About 60 Dragoons sallied out of the Cohorne, which at first put our Workmen in some disorder; but they were immediately rally'd by the Care of the Offi­cers. The Enemies plac'd this Day Three Fauconnets o [...] Drakes upon the point of the Cover'd-way of the Cohorne which looks towards the Sambre, to incommode us from hence in our Lines. A Bomb fell this Day in the Casotte, which put fire to some Grenades, not without some da­mage to the Enemies. Major-General Arnheim comman­ded the Trenches this Night, with the Prince of Anhalt Brigadier, of the English Colonel Seymour. The 6th we advanc'd our Trench upon the Left 170 Paces, and that upon the Right considerably, to bring both between the side of the Cohorne and the Sambre: But the Rain was very troublesome to us at this time, which coming down in Torrents from the top of the Hill, fill'd our Trenches with Water, which were made upon the side of it. The Ene­my work'd at anouter Line before the Cover'd-way of the Ravelin of the Cohorne, upon the Descent of the Hill▪ and indeed, from the taking of the Town, to this time, they have still been making new Retrenchments down [Page 130] the Hill before the Cover'd-way of the Cohorne. They plac'd Three Pieces of Cannon more in one of these Trenches to fire upon our Works; for the Cannon of the Cohorne being considerably high upon the Hill, could not bear down upon our Trenches, for which reason they were oblig'd to make these Retrenchments lower without the Cover'd-way. Major-General Lindeboom had the Trenches this Night, with the Duke of Holstein Norbourg Brigadier, and Colonel Columbine of the English. We be­gan at this time to work at several Batteries within the Town, some along the Sambre, and others upon the Ram­part between the Porte de Fer and the Sambre, which were to fire over the Town upon the Terra nova. Upon which the Maréchal de Boufflers threaten'd to lay the Town in Ashes, if we should offer to make any Batteries from thence. But 'twas reply'd of our side, That above 500 Sick and Wounded which they had still in our Hospitals, which could not be transported to Dinant, (where we had sent above 1600 since the Town was taken) should an­swer for it. This Answer, besides that they could only do Mischief to the Town, (if we would sacrifice it) with­out hindering our Batteries, made them civil, and never offer'd to fire in the Town, but where they saw us work to attack them.

The 7th. we began to draw a Line of Communication from the upper Trench upon the Right, to the lower upon the Left: We advanc'd the upper Trench with an Angle saillant towards the side of the Cohorne; we continued to work at our new Batteries in the Town, and re-inforc'd the old ones with several Pieces of Cannon and Mortars. Major-General Swerin reliev'd the Trenches this Night, with Brigadier Dedem, and Colonel Lauder of the English. The 8th. the Elector of Bavaria return'd to the Siege from Brussels. Major-General la Cave commanded the Tren­ches and Brigadier Horne of Brandenbourgh, with Colonel Stanley of the English. The Rain hinder'd us this Night from advancing our Works; so that we only apply'd our selves to put what we had done in a better defence. Our [Page 131] Works were now brought near the Enemy, which made them fire very briskly upon us, both with Cannon and Small-shot. The 9th. Major-General Rivera, and my Lord Cuts Brigadier, mounted the Trenches, and Colonel Seymour of the English. In the Evening, a French Officer was taken swimming down the Meuse, endeavouring to get into the Place: He came from Dinant, and had swam a great way to come undiscovered in the beginning of the Night. He deny'd that he had any particular Commission, but that his Regiment was in the Place, and that he en­deavour'd to repair to his Post. About Midnight, the Enemies made a Sally of 200 Dragoons and 600 Grena­diers: Major-General Rivera commanded the Right Trench, and my Lord Cuts the Left. Major General Rivera had plac'd a Captain and 60 Men without the Trench upon the Right, to lie down upon their Arms, and to have Centries to observe the Enemy to prevent surpri­sal. My Lord Cuts had done the same upon the Left. The Centries of the Right gave notice, That they saw a Body of Men coming down the Hill from the Casotte. Upon which we stood all to our Arms in our Trenches, and made some Detachments without to oppose to the E­nemies. The French Grenadiers came down with a migh­ty Fury, making a great Noise as soon as they came near our Works, to strike a Terror amongst our Men; but we were ready for them, which they found by the briskness of our fire: The Van of the Enemies would then have retreated the same way they came, but being hinder'd by those that sustain'd them, they were oblig'd to turn to the Right, where they fell into the fire of the Out guards we had plac'd to cover our Trenches. The Dragoons sallied (much about the same time with the Grenadiers) out of the Castle, coming between the Cohorne and the Sambre, where they fell among the Out-guards plac'd by my Lord Cuts to cover our Left Trench. We had then, as we had every Night, a Body of Dragoons commanded by a Major, between our Left Trench and the Abbey of Salsen; this Night they were Spaniards, commanded by [Page 132] Major Zuniga: My Lord Cuts brought him up immediate­ly with his Body to succour our Men, where he fell upon the Enemies Dragoons, and pursued them to the very Palisiades of the Castle, making a considerable Slaughter among them. The Major had his Horse shot under him in this Action; for which, and for his considera­ble Service at this time, his Majesty sent him a Horse out of his Stable the next Day, with rich Furniture, and a very fine Sword. We had in this Occasion but Four- Eng­lish, One Brandenbourgh, and Three Dutch Soldiers, kill [...]d. One English Ensign, and Seven Soldiers; One Bavarian Lieutenant, and one Soldier; one Major, one Lieutenant, and 17 Brandenburgh Soldiers; one Dutch Ensign, and 11 Soldiers, wounded. We continued this Day (9th.) to work with great vigour upon our new Batteries in the Town, from whence we expected the Success of this Siege; for hitherto we had done no damage to the Ene­mies Works, and had only advanc'd our Trenches. The 10th. the Enemies beat a Parley to reclaim some conside­rable Officers they had lost the Night before, if Prisoners, or to have leave to look for their Bodies among the Dead. At Night Major-General Arnheim commanded in the Trenches, with the Prince of Anhalt Brigadier, and Colo­nel Columbine of our Forces. We perfected this Night our Communication between the upper and the lower Trench. Prince Vaudemont came and encamp'd at Masy this Evening, as has been said before.

The 11th. early in the Morning we open'd all the Bat­teries we had made in the Town, which made a most terrible noise, and no doubt caus'd a great Disorder and Consternation among the Enemies; for the Bombs play'd incessantly in all their Works, and from all sides, so that the Besieged could hardly stirr, without running the hazard of being wounded, or knock'd on the Head with our Bombs that were still showring down among them. Our Batte­ries were made along the Sambre; the first at the Village of Sainte Croix, where we had 20 Guns dispos'd in Two [Page 133] Batteries: the next in the Sambre and Brussels's Bastions, these fir'd against the side of the Cohorne towards the Ri­ver to make a breach. Some from the Brussel's Bastion fir'd against the Courtin of the Terra nova, which comes down the Hill towards the Sambre. Several other Batte­ries were made upon the very Bank of the Sambre within the Town, upon the Wall they have along this River, which fir'd very furiously upon the [...]fore-said Courtin of the Terra nova. We had some other Batteries of a lesser Calibre (the others being generally 24 Pounders) dispos'd upon the Walk, or Chemin des rondes of the Courtin, be­tween the Porte de Fer and that of Brussels; these fir'd in reverse over the Town, and the River, upon the ascent of the Terra nova, and old Castle, which over-looks the Town, and lay open to our view, which very much incommoded the Enemies; for they could hardly stir in the Castle with­out being seen, and all the Houses in it lay expos'd to this Cannon. Our Mortars were dispos'd up and down in several Courts and Gardens along the Sambre, where the House [...] or Walls serv'd for Blinds to cover them; some in the Governour's Garden, and in the Court of his House, which is a very stately Fabrick, built by the Prince of Barbar [...]n; others in the Jesuits-Garden, and in that of the Ursuline Nuns; others in the Garden of the Refuge, and the Court of the Arsenal; and most of the Lanes, which go to the Sambre, had Mortars or Haubitz (these are little Mortars which have under a Foot diameter) in them, co­ver'd with Blinds. The Batteries from the Brandenburgh Quarter, of the other side of the M [...]use, play'd with equal Fury against the Lower Town, and Horn-work of Bul [...], to ruine the Work, and to incommode the Enemies, who had their Stables and Stores in the Lower Town along the Meuse, and a great many, both Officers and Soldiers, were quarter'd here, being more under cover. 'Twas compu­ted that we had now 136 Pieces of Cannon dispos'd in several Batteries against the Castle and Out-works, and 50 Mortars and Haubitz; which from this Day, till the Sur­render of the Castle, play'd without Intermission: And [Page 134] this being the first Day that we open'd our Batteries to make a breach, we may reckon that we have carry'd the Castle, with all its prodigious Out-works, in 11 Days, ha­ving capitulated the 22d. The Besieged had 9 Pieces of Cannon, and 3 Mortars, with which they endeavour'd to incommode us in our Batteries in the Town, but they were soon silenc'd. Monsieur de Rondeau, formerly Governour of the Castle for the King of Spain, and 82 Years old, was kill'd this Day by one of these Cannons. Prince Vau­demont having encamp'd with his Army at Masy the over­night, the King went this day to his Camp, who with the Elector had hitherto gone twice a day in the Trenches, to visit our Approaches, and to give their Directions. At Night, Major-General Lindeboom, and the Duke of Hol­stein-Norburg Brigadier, mounted the Trenches, with Co­lonel Buchan of our National Forces; the Regiments of Seymour, Columbine, Stanley, and Lauder, having been reliev'd this Day by the Regiments of Courthop, Mackay, Friderick Hamilton, and Buchan, from the Camp at Masy.

The 12th. our Batteries continu'd with the same Fury they had began Yesterday, and we found that they play'd to the purpose; for they had already tore up the side of the Cohorne, and the descending Courtin of the Terra nova, where they had made breach in so little time. Major-General Swerin, and Brigadier Dedem, mounted the Tren­ches with Colonel Mackay of our Forces. The 13th. Ma­jor-General la Cave, and Brigadier Horne, with Colonel Friderick Hamilton commanding our Forces, mounted the Trenches. The 14th. Major-General Rivera, my Lord Cuts Brigadier, and Colonel Courthop. The 15th. Major-General Arnheim, the Prince of Anhalt Brigadier, and Co­lonel Buchan. These Four Days, our Artillery and Mor­tars continu'd as before, and widen'd very much the Breaches, and struck such a Terror among the Enemies, that they kept close, hardly daring to shew their Heads over their Works, for which reason we lost but very few Men in our Trenches, having had but 2 killed and 9 wounded the 4 last Days; in which we advanc'd our [Page 135] Trenches considerably, having brought them now under the side of the Cohorne, between it and the Sambre. The Enemies were Masters of a Half-moon upon the side of the Sambre, at the foot of the bottom which runs down between the Terra nova and the Cohorne: This was made for an Out-work to the Town formerly, before the Co­horne was built, for which Reason it faces outwards towards the Hill of the Cohorne. Our Trenches being now so far ad­vanc'd between the Cohorne and the Sambre, it was thought fit to dislodge the Enemies from it. This Place was so much under the command of our Batteries, along the Sambre, on the Town side, that the Enemies did not dare to shew themselves in it. We put a Detachment in a Bilander at the Abbey of Salsen, which came down the River, to attack this Post; but upon the approach of our Men, the Enemies made little Resistance, and deliver'd it up; a Lieutenant, and 17 Men, were made Prisoners in it, having liv'd in the Vault several Days without appearing. The Brandenbourghers at the same time made another Attack to dislodge the Enemies out of some Houses they had along the Meuse, just without the Gate of the Horn-work of Bulé, upon the way that goes to Givet, from whence they beat the Enemy with little or no loss, and made some Pri­soners. The Maréchal de Villeroy being now expected for the Relief of the Castle of Namur, Orders were given to fortifie the Avenues of the King's Quarter at Malogne, and the Hills that command it: For tho' there was no pro­bability that the Body of the Army could march this Way to relieve the Place, being all close Woods between the Sambre and the Meuse; yet this was necessary to prevent the surprisal of flying Detachments, which having pass'd the Sambre, could have march'd by the Abbey of Floreff to this Place, which is in the way between Floreff and Namur.

Prince Vaudemont's Army being now so near Namur, (which we have brought to the Camp at Masy) we shall leave the Account of the Siege for a while, to speak of [Page 136] the Proceedings of the Prince's Army, and of that of the Enemies commanded by the Maréchal de Villeroy. Prince Vaudemont came to the Camp of Masy the 10th. his Army consisting then of 70 Battalions, and 182 Squadrons. The 11th. the second Battalion of Scots Guards, and the second of Dutch Guards, which hitherto had not been concern'd in this Siege, were commanded to the King's Quarter at Malogne, to relieve the Battalion of the Cold­stream Regiment of Guards, and the first Battalion of Dutch; and the Regiments of Cou [...]thop, Mackay, Friderick Hamilton, and Buchan, reliev'd those of Seymour, Colum­bine, Stanley, and Lauder, imploy'd in the Siege; so that we still kept the same Complement of [...]0 Battalions. The 12th. in the Morning, all the heavy Baggage of the Ar­my was commanded away, to draw up at the Bridge of Communication upon the Meuse below Namur: We expe­cted now the Enemies; and as we were then to be still in Motion to observe them, the heavy Baggage was sent away, to make the Marches of the Army easier, less dif­ficult, and quicker; and besides Forrage was not plenty in our Camp after so long a Siege, and such Armies, which the Horses belonging to the Baggage could find more conveniently here, having the liberty of both sides of the Meuse. The same Morning, Count Tilly Lieute­nant-General, was detach'd with Pyper's, and another Bri­gade of Horse, by Louvain to Brussels, where the Mar­quis de Bedmar, Mestre de Camp General of the Spanish In­fantry, commanded a small body of Spanish Horse; and both these Generals were join'd and re-inforc'd at Brussels by Lieutenant-General Bellasis, who upon Villeroy's Mo­tion towards Namur, march'd hither with the 10 Batta­lions under his Command, to cover either Louvain or Brussels, which (our Army being now at Masy) were both expos'd to the French Army. The same Day (12th.) the Regiments of Sparre and Knoring, and that of the Marquet, join'd us at the Camp of Masy, having been de­tach'd from the Siege. I cannot tell whether others were sent from the Camp to the Siege in their Place. The [Page 137] 15th. being inform'd that the Maréchal de Villeroy, (who after the bombarding of Brussels had retir'd to Soigny) had pass'd the Senne, above Nivelle, to join the Rhine Detach­ment, and the other Troops he expected from the Coast, and the Remainder of the Houshold of France, which was all commanded away from Versailles, and that he was incamp'd with his Right at Seneffe, and his Left towards Arkiennes and Feluy, in order to march to the Plains of Fleury: For this Reason our Right Wing of Horse which en­camp'd towards Temploux, turning back from the Line, was or­der'd to march up, and rectifie our Camp, and possess the Woods and Avenues between Gemblours and our Camp; Col­lier's Brigade was detach'd at the same time to interline the Right Wing of Horse. The Hesse and Lunenburgh Troops that had been detach'd from the Rhine by Prince Lewis of Baden, commanded by the Count de Lippe, (which we have left in their way in the Neighbourhood of Aix la Cha­pelle, and had pass'd the Meuse some Days before between Liege and Maestricht, and had halted to refresh themselves between Huy and Namur) came up this Day, and incamp'd upon our Right at St. Denis, a Village situated in the Skirts of a Wood, near the Springs of the Mehaigne. The Landt­grave of Hesse, who had come before to wait upon the King in this Siege, put himself at the Head of his Troops here, which were in a very fine and serviceable Condition, both Foot, Horse, and Dragoons, but especially the Foot, which made extraordinary good Battalions, very well Cloath'd, and very good Men. At their coming, they work'd at a very good Retrenchment to cover the nar­row Plain, between the Wood of St. Denis upon the Right, and that of Meux upon their Left.

Villeroy, as we have said just now, encamp'd the 15th. between Seneff and Arkiennes, upon the River Senne, with Nivelle before his Left: He was join'd here by the Rhine Detachment, which we have brought in their way as far as Rocroy, where they arriv'd the 7th. and being headed by the Maréchal de Camp Pracontal, who was sent from Villeroy's Army to meet them, he march'd them towards the Sambre, which they pass'd at Maubeuge, and join'd the [Page 138] Maréchal de Villeroy this Day: And now having all the Re­inforcements he expected, and having a prodigious Army, consisting of 119 Battalions and 235 Squadrons, 'twas re­solv'd to march the next Day to the Plains of Fleury, in order to attempt the Relief of Namur. The French ha­ving such an Army, spoke of it as of a certain thing, and began to maltreat strangely our Prisoner-Garrisons of Dixmuyde and Deinse, to force them from our Service, as if our Army had been lost. 'Twas given out, that the Maré­chal de Villeroy had express and positive Orders to attack us, and the Devotions of the People were requir'd to implore the divine Blessing. And here I cannot forbear mention­ing the Preface, the Dean and Chapter of Paris put to their Mandate for the Prayers of 40 Hours, to be us'd in that Diocess, (the See being now vacant) That as God pu­nishes Princes, who make War only to attack their Neighbours, and make themselves great; so he blesses those who act only for the defence of their People, and to procure Peace. Certainly Peo­ple must be very much put to it for want of a Preface, who made this the French King's Case: For 'tis a very plain Matter of Fact, that he himself has been the Aggressor in this War, by attacking the Emperor, and the States; and if other Princes have enter'd into an offensive and defen­sive Alliance with them, it has been for their own necessary Safety and Preservation, which had such a certain and vi­sible dependance upon that of the Empire, and States of the United Provinces. I do not know any Places where the French King's Subjects have been attack'd, but by our Sea-Bombardments; and in this case he has taken more care to maintain his Conquests, than to defend his People. If this Character is, or has been due to any Princes en­gag'd in War, it is certainly to our King, who was now engag'd in the Siege of Namur, for no other Interest but to establish the Liberties of Christendom, oppress'd by the ambitious Greatness of our Enemies, who were still in­croaching upon their Neighbours, and had lately ravish'd this important Place out of the King of Spain's Hands. He does not aggrandize his Dominions by it, and has no [Page 139] other Interest in it, but the glory of doing so much Good to the World in general, and of establishing the Welfare and Security of his Subjects in particular, by the Redu­ction of this strong Key of the Spanish and United Pro­vinces. Thus much for this Preface. I believe the French depended more upon the strength and greatness of their Army, than upon any Hopes the Dean and Chapter's Pre­face could give them.

The 16th. the Maréchal de Villeroy left the Camp of Seneff and Nivelle: He commanded all the heavy Baggage away to Mons, and march'd with the whole Army to the Plains of Fleury, where he encamp'd with his Right between St. Amand and Fleury, and his Left towards Sombref; the head Quarter was at Marbais. At Night he caus'd about 50 Pieces of Cannon to be drawn at the Head of his Camp upon the Causey that goes to Namur, which were dis­charg'd round to give the Besieged notice of his Arrival, who now made every Night some Signals from the top of the Cavalier of the Terra nova, with lighted Torches, sometimes Four, and Three, and Two, which we sup­pos'd to signifie the time of the Resistance they could make. The Besieged did not answer Villeroy's Signal, and (as 'twas told after the Siege) did not hear it, the Wind being contrary, tho' 'twas a still Night. The King, upon Villeroy's Approach with the French Army, left his Quarter at Malogne, and the Siege of the Castle to the Elector of Bavaria, and the Duke of Holstein Ploen, and took his Quarter that very Night at the Castle of Bovesse, a Gentleman's House, in the Rear of our Right Wing of Horse; but most of His Majesty's Domesticks remain'd at the more convenient Quarter in the Abbey of Malogne. The next Day the King was very early with Prince Vau­demont, at his Quarter at Golsines, being then indispos'd, which hinder'd him from waiting upon the King at his own Quarter. Measures were then taken for the Security of our Camp, by making Retrenchments where they were requisite. The King brought with him from the Siege Velt-Maréchal-General Fleming, and Count d'Arco Ge­neral [Page 140] of the Bavarians, to command our Right-Wing of Horse; and Lumley's Brigade of English Horse was detach'd from the Left to the Right Wing, which was most expos'd to the Enemy, to re-inforce it: They encamp'd at St. De­nis, between the Hesse Troops, and the Right of our Ar­my, which we advanc'd yet farther in the Front, and drew our Line closer to the Woods and the Avenues be­tween them. The same Day (17th.) the second Batta­lion of Dutch Guards, and the second of Scots, which had reliev'd some Days before my Lord Cuts his Battalion, and the first Battalion of Dutch Guards, were countermanded back to the Camp, and 12 Battalions more of the Elector of Brandenbourgh's and States Forces, besides more of the Horse imploy'd in the Siege; so that 'twas computed we had this Day 97 Battalions, and 237 Squadrons to oppose to the Maréchal de Villeroy, besides about 30 Bat­talions, which continu'd the Siege, and Six in Garrison in the Town. This is the true state of our Forces in this great Conjuncture: and at this time 500 Men is the most that we can rate a Battalion at, one with another, and 110 each Squadron in either Armies. I leave the Calcu­lation to the Reader, and the difference of the two Armies will appear upon it. This Day we began to work at our Retrenchments, to fortifie the House and Bridge of Masy; we made a Retrenchment at Bossire before Fits-patrick and Selwyn's Brigades, which had before Prince Vaudemont's Quarter at Golsines in their Rear, and Bossire upon their Left; but upon the approach of Villeroy, they chang'd their Ground, and encamp'd with their Right at the Prince's Quarter, and Left towards the little River which runs by Gemblours and Masy to the Sambre, and Bos­sire in their Rear, their Line being perpendicular to the Line of our Army: This Retrenchment defended the Plain which runs with a Wood upon the Right, and ano­ther upon the Left towards Conroy and Gemblours. Farther towards Conroy we cut down Trees to barricade the High­ways, and plac'd there a Captain and 60 Men, detach'd out of the two 'fore-said Brigades, with Orders to main­tain [Page 141] the Post as long as possibly they could, to give notice of the Enemies Approach: These two Brigades were then under the Command of Major-General Ramsay. The same Day (17th.) Brigadier Fitspatrick was detach'd with 8 Battalions (3 whereof were Maitland, Tiffeny, and Fer­guson, the rest Dutch and Germans) to the Village of St. De­nis, which lying upon the skirt of a Wood, they fortified very strongly. The Hessians were more to the Right, where they defended with a good Retrenchment the little Plain between St. Denis, and Meux, situated on the skirts of another Wood more towards the Mehaigne. Velt-Maréchal Fleming, and Count d'Arco, with Lumley's Bri­gade, and the Brandenbourgh Horse, and Bavarian Cuiras­siers, were order'd more to the Right, between the Wood of Meux, and the Village of Du, where they made a­nother Retrenchment over the Plain, from the Wood up­on the Left, to Du upon the Right. The Mehaigne has se­veral little Springs, and some in this Place This was the Disposition of our Affairs the 1 [...]th. in the Army. As for the Enemies, they did not march this Day, but continued in their Camp between Fleury and Sombref; they had made a considerable March the Day before with such a vast Body, that they halted this Day, to compleat their Army, to Forrage, and give out Bread to the Soldiers. The 18th. they march'd more upon their Left, towards Gemblours, to come nearer to our Right, which was the most open part of our Camp, our Left towards the Sambre being very strongly encamp'd, as we have describ'd it a­bove. They encamp'd with their Right at Gemblours, and Left at Grandléz, the head Quarter at Saunier: Upon which Motion of the Enemy, Orders were given in our Army not to stir out of the Camp, and every Body to be ready at a Minute's warning, which should be given by the firing of three Pieces of Cannon. The same Day (18th.) 22 Grenadiers per Company out of his Majesty's Forces, were order'd to be ready to march, and make an Assault upon the Breach we had made in the Terra nova, jointly with the rest of the Besiegers, who were to attack [Page 142] the Breach of the Cohorne, and other Out-works: But his Majesty expecting the Enemies should attack us the next Day, thought it more convenient to deferr the Assault longer, and in the mean while to widen and applanish the Breach­es, with the usual violence of our Cannon, these Grena­diers being more necessary in our Camp at this time. The Maréchal de Villeroy intended to attack us the next Day, the King was inform'd of it, and the Army expected it; for which Reason all Officers and Soldiers were or­der'd to lie in their Cloaths with their Arms, ready to turn out upon call. Prince Vaudemont, tho' very much indispos'd, came by Three of the Clock in the Morning in his Coach, and stood at the Head of the English Guards, notwithstanding that he had kept his Bed Three or Four Days before, and had then a Feaver upon him; the whole Army turn'd out an Hour before Day. We form'd our Battalions and Squadrons in a readiness, and the King came at the same time to see us in a posture of defence, and went in Prince Vaudemont's Coach to conferr with him upon the present Conjuncture. The Weather was very thick and foggy, so that we could hardly see 50 Yards before us, but we had Out-guards all along beyond our Retrenchments, to prevent any surprize; nevertheless we were very much concern'd at the unseasonableness of the Fog, tho' 'twas as inconvenient to the Enemy as to us. In the Morning, the Brigade of Guards was commanded to the Right at St. Denis, under the Command of Major General Churchil, to form a Reserve, and sustain the Eight Regiments, that had been posted here under Brigadier Fitspatrick, which were all fresh, and had not been concern'd in the Siege of Namur. This was the most convenient Passage in our Camp, and 'twas expected that the most vigorous Attack of the Enemies would be here; therefore there was a great deal of Care taken to fortifie all the Avenues, and Church-yard of this Village. The Brigade of Guards continu'd the Retrenchment from the Village within the Hedges, and a marshy bottom, by which they continu'd it to the Hesse Retrenchment. And we had now provided [Page 143] so well for the defence of this Passage, that we had no great Apprehension of the Enemies coming here. The Hessians had made very good Batteries upon their Retrenchments cover'd with Gabions, from whence they commanded the whole Plain. There was another Passage to the Left of St. Denis, about an English Mile before our Right Wing of Horse, which we retrench'd and fortify'd; and Sir David Collier was posted here with his Brigade and some Artillery: We retrench'd all the Rising Ground within Masy and Gol­sines, and so to the Woods we had upon our Right. This was the Posture of our Camp this Day. The Enemies had made several Motions the Night before, and this Morning sending several Bodies, sometimes to their Right, and sometimes to their Left, and their whole Camp was under Arms most part of the Night before, and this whole Day. About Noon the Weather began to clear up, upon which Villeroy advanc'd to St. Denis, to observe our Posts and our Army. We had barricaded the way through the Wood with several Trees we had cut down; and the Boughs be­ing thick and green, and there being a large Barn hard by, he came by this way through the Wood, and took the opportunity of this Cover, to come up close to this Retrenchment. As soon as he was perceiv'd, all our Men within the Retrenchment took the Alarm, and stood to their Arms, expecting it to be the Van-guard of the Enemies Army: The King was at Dinner in his Tent, which was pitch'd hard by for that purpose, who imme­diately got on Horse-back to observe the Enemy: But Villeroy finding himself discover'd, retir'd immediately, having seen enough to convince him that 'twas not fit to meddle with us here.

The Day being pass'd without any Action, and the Time pressing, (for now we began to wait in our Camp) the King thought it not convenient to deferr the Assault of the Breaches of the Terra nova, and Cohorne, any lon­ger; wherefore a Detachment was made this Evening (19th.) of 36 Grenadiers per Company out of those Re­giments of His Majesty's Forces, which had not been con­cern'd [Page 144] in the Siege, and 18 out of those that had been employ'd in it. The Grenadiers of the Brigade of Guards were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Evans, Captain of Grenadiers in the first Battalion; and the rest by Colo­nel Epping, Colonel of one of the Danish Battalions. But before I proceed to give an Account of this Assault, it is necessary to continue the Affairs of the Siege to this time.

The 15th. as (we have said it before) we took the Half-moon of the Sambre, which would otherwise have flank'd our Trenches, if we had not beat the Enemies from it, and likewise our Assault upon the Breach of Terra nova. The 16th. being Masters of this Half-moon, we began to work at a Pattery of 10 Pieces of Cannon, upon the Left of our inferiour Trench, between it and the Half-moon, which fir'd upon the inward Face of the small Bastion, at the Foot of the descending Courtin of Terra nova: Our Batteries from the Town could only fire upon the outward Face towards the Sambre; and besides, this Battery firing more perpendicular upon the Breach of Terra nova, had yet a better effect than those from the Town. Captain Hart, of Colonel Courthop's Regiment, was killed this Day in the Trenches. In the Evening his Majesty left the Siege, to put himself at the Head of the Army, upon Ville­roy's Approach. Major-General Lindeboom reliev'd the Trenches this Night, with the Prince of Holstein Norbourg Brigadier, and Colonel Mackay of our Forces. This Night we advanc'd our Trenches between the side of the Cohorne, and the Sambre. The Descent of the Hill from the Cohorne to the Sambre being steep, this gave the Ene­mies opportunity to make use of a Machine to hinder our Work; they fill'd some Casks with Powder, Bombs, and Gre­nades, with a Fuzee at each end of the Cask, which they tumbl'd down the Hill upon our Men; but the Bombs and Grenades being too heavy in the Casks for the Powder, caus'd an unequal Motion of the Machine, which hinder'd its Effect; for it could not roul down strait, but inclin'd either to the Right or to the Left, and if it fell per chance among our Workmen, they only open'd to the Right and Left, and let it run down the Hill, tho' at first it put them [Page 145] into some disorder; but the Machine made more Noise than Mischief. The 17th. early in the Morning, our Bat­tery of 10 Pieces of Cannon, upon the Left of our infe­rior Trench, began to play with very good success, and contributed very much to level the Breach of the Terra nova for a more easie Assault. By this time most of the Enemies Cannon were dismounted, except some great Pieces upon the Cavalier of Terra nova, which could not bear low enough upon us that attack'd from the bottom of the Hill, and so did us no harm; but their Drakes were still troublesome, which being light, they could easily draw up and down where they were most convenient for them. In the Afternoon we discover'd a Party of the Enemies, of 20 Troopers from the Garrison of Dinant, which had posted themselves in Ambuscade just by our Line of Circumvallation towards the Meuse, where a De­tachment of the Elector's Guards were posted, who at­tack'd them, killing 6 of the Enemy. and made the Lieu­tenant Prisoner, and 7 more of his Party. In the Even­ing Major-General Swerin commanded the Trenches, with Brigadier Dedem, and Colonel Friderick Hamilton. The Breaches being now considerable, the Enemies work'd hard every Night to make Retrenchments and Traverses within the Breaches of the Terra nova, and Cohorne: and our Bombs playing without intermission in these Works, did (no doubt) kill them a great many Men. The 18th Ma­jor-General la Cave had the Trenches, and Brigadier Horne, with Colonel Courthop of the English. Our Artillery from all Parts continu'd its usual Fury, and the Enemies, whilst we work'd in our Trenches, still us'd their Machines to interrupt our Men; they tumbl'd down Six Bombs this Night, but with as little effect as before. The 19th. upon expectation that the Maréchal de Villeroy would attack the King's Army, the Elector waited upon his Majesty: But Villeroy having thought it more convenient to let it alone, the King, with the Elector, and Prince Vaudemont, and other chief Generals, concerted the Assault for the next Day.

A MEMOIR of the General Attack made upon the CASTLE of NAMUR.

The Disposition of this Attack was as follows:

MY Lord Cutts, with 3000 English, was to attack the Counterscarp and Breach of the Terra nova, and that part of the Line of Communication between the Cohorne and the Terra nova, which was next to the Terra nova. The Count de Rivera was to attack the Breach of the Cohorne, and that part of the a­foresaid Line of Communication, next the Cohorne, with 3000 Bavarians, and others. Major General la Cave was to attack on the Right of Count Rivera, (with 2000 Brandenburghers) the upper point of the Cohorne, and part of the Communication to the Casotte. Major-General Swerin was to attack the Casotte with 2000 Dutch; and at the same a time, Colonel was to attack the Lower Town with 600 Men. The Signal was to be a considerable Quantity of Powder, blown-up upon the old Batte­ry near the Brussels Port; and the Word of Battle, given by the Elector of Bavaria, was God-with-us.

The Directions given by the Elector of Bavaria, to the aforesaid General Officers, that were to Com­mand the respective Attacks in chief, were as follows:

That a certain Number of Men should be com­manded in each Attack upon the Forlorn-hope, ano­ther Number to sustain them, and the rest to be upon the Reserve; and as to Particulars, he left it to [Page 147] each General Officer, commanding an Attack in chief, to do as his own Judgment, and the Occasion, should direct him; only it was order'd that Count Rivera's Attack, and those upon the Right of him, should begin some Minutes before the English Attack, because that was like to be the most difficult.

The Lord Cutts, the Night before the Attack, receiv'd a Detachment from the King, of 1000 cho­sen Men, which were to be part of his 3000: For His Majesty was now at the head of the Confede­rates Army, and had left my Lord Cutts to com­mand all the English that stay'd with the Duke of Bavaria to carry on the Siege.

It was order'd by the Duke of Bavaria, the Night before the Action, That all the Troops de­sign'd for the several Attacks, should march into the Trenches before Day, there to lie undiscover'd till the Hour of the Signal.

The Lord Cutts, in pursuance of this Order, march'd into the Trenches with his Men some Hours before Day; but there not being room enough to cover all his Men, he was forced to place Three Re­giments at the Abbey of Salsen, which was the nearest Place to the Trenches where they could lie undiscover'd.

The Disposition which my Lord Cutts made for the English, was as follows:

He commanded 4 Sergeants, each with 15 Men, (promising, in His Majesty's Name, Advancement to the Sergeants, and Rewards to the private Men, if they did their Duty) to go upon the Forlorne Hope: These were to be follow'd by the Grenadiers of the Guards, under the Command of Colonel [Page 148] Evans; and those by the rest of the Grenadeers, design'd for the Attack of the Breach, making in all 700, under the Command of a Colonel: 300 Grenadeers were order'd to attack the Line of Com­munication. Colonel Courthop, and Colonel Mac­kay's Regiments, were order'd to sustain those that attack'd the Breach: Colonel Hamilton, and Colo­nel Buchan's Regiments, were to make the Reserve: And that this might be the better perform'd, it was order'd that the Regiments of Mackay, Hamilton, and Buchan, which were plac'd at the Abbey of Salsen, should immediately after the Signal given; march to the Place of Action, and draw up-behind the Regiment of Courthop, there to receive further Orders. About Noon, or soon after the Attack was begun, the English marching out of the Trenches, drew up under the Enemies Fire, and notwithstand­ing they had 900 Paces to march before they came to the Breach, expos'd all the way to the Enemies great and small shot, which fir'd sorely upon their Flank all the way, they went on with a great deal of firmness and resolution. Immediately after the Grenadeers follow'd Colonel Courthop's Regiment, with Dr [...] [...]eating, and Colours flying.

The [...] of this Attack look'd very hope­ful; but the Three Regiments at Salsen not march­ing so soon as was intended (either by a failure or mistake in the Signal) the English Troops that were already engag'd, were over-power'd by the Num­bers of the Enemies; and that which contributed to their Misfortune, was the Count de Rivera's being shot dead upon the spot; the Count de Marsilly, (who commanded the 600 Men that were to attack the Line of Communication next the▪ Cohorne) with [Page 149] his Lieutenant-Colonel, being both immediately shot dead; Colonel Courthop being likewise shot dead, and his Lieutenant-Colonel, Sir Matthew Bridges, desperately wounded; most of the Officers of the Grenadeers being kill'd or wounded, particularly Captain Mitchel of the Guards shot dead, and Co­lonel Evans desperately wounded; my Lord Cutts receiving a shot in his Head, which disabl'd him for some time; the Count de Mercy, Colonel Windsor, Colonel Stanhop, Mr. Thompson, and several other Gentlemen, who went Voluntiers with my Lord Cutts in this Action, being wounded, and totally disabled. And Count Rivera's Attack not beginning quite so soon as was intended (by reason of the aforesaid Mistake of the Signal) all the Fire of that part of the Cohorne, which was next the Terra nova, fell upon the English, which had been otherwise em­ployed, if every thing, had succeeded as was inten­ded. After some time, the 3 Regiments from Sal­sen arriv'd; but things were then in such a Posture, that they were forced to begin a new Attack, instead of sustaining that already begun: For Count No­gent, and Monsieur L'Abadié were by this time come down, by Order of the Maréchal de Boufflers, (as we were afterwards inform'd by the French Comman­ders) in the space which is between the Cohorne and Terra nova, with 1200 Foot and Dragoons, all fresh Men, whereof 200 were of the Dragoons of the French King's Houshold; and with these Troops they charg'd our Forces in Flank and Rear, which were already in the middle of 6 different Fires. The Battalions from Salsen, tho' they came too late to do us the Service intended, did not want their share of suffering, as appears by the List of their kill'd and wounded Offi­cers and Soldiers.

[Page 150] By this time my Lord Cutts being dress'd of his Wounds, and come to himself, finding the Affair of the Terra nova not possibly to be retriev'd, and observing the Bavarians, upon Count Rivera's Attack, engag'd in a very hot [...]ire, who (notwithstanding Count Rivera was kill'd, and the Prince of Holstem Norburg Brigadier, wounded; and that most of the Officers of the Bavarian Guards, and other Regiments, were kill'd and wounded) had fix'd themselves upon the outermost Retrenchment of the Point of the Cohorne next to the Sambre, and maintain'd the Post with a great deal of obstinacy, but could not gain any more Ground; order'd 200 Men to be detach'd out of the English Troops, and that none should be chosen, but such as were resolv'd to carry their Point or dye by it, upon Promise of distin­guishing Rewards to such as should do any extraordinary Action; and ordering those to be sustain'd by the Regi­ment of Mackay, and that the other English Forces should rally and come after as soon as they could, he resolv'd to bend his whole Force, to make good the Bavarian Attack: And as soon as he was come to the Place of Action, he detach'd Lieutenant Cockle, of Mackay's Regiment, with a Party of chosen Men, with the following Orders:

That he should attack the Face of the saillant Angle, next to the Breach, Sword in Hand, without firing a Shot, that he should pass the Palissades, and enter the cover'd way; That if he could not maintain the Post, he should make the best Retreat he could with his Men, but that he should lodge himself, if he found any Place capable of it, with a Promise, in his Majesty's Name, of a distin­guishing Reward if he succeeded, and out-liv'd it. At the same time he commanded the Ensigns of Mackay's Re­giment to march strait to the Palissades, and plant their Colours upon 'em, with Promises of sutable Rewards. All this succeeded so well, that Lieutenant Cockle entring the Palisades, beat the Enemy from the cover'd way, and lodg'd himself in a Battery of theirs, having first turn'd their own Cannon upon them, for which his Majesty has since rewarded him with Advancement and Money. Whilst [Page 151] Colonel Mackay's Ensigns were advancing to the Palissades, the Bavarians renew'd their Attack with undaunted Vi­giour, (tho', as was said before, most of their Officers were kill'd and wounded) and so this Post was made good.

The Elector of Bavaria expos'd himself to a degree not to be imagin'd, going from Place to Place, to observe what pass'd, and give such Orders as he thought fit, several Per­sons being kill'd and wounded very near him; he gave a­way Handfuls of Gold to the English Soldiers, as well as his own, and saying many kind things of the Bravery both of the Officers and Soldiers. No Gentleman ever fell more generally lamented, than Colonel Courthop did on this Occasion, giving all possible Hopes of an extraordinary Man in the Military Art, if he had liv'd. Colonel Windsor, Colonel Stanhop, the Count de Mercy, Mr. Tomson, (eldest Son to Sir John Tomson) and other Gentlemen of Note be­fore-mention'd, behav'd themselves on this Occasion with all the Bravery it was possible for Men to shew. And many other remarkable Actions were done by several of the English and Scotch, too many to set down here.

Having gain'd the Cover'd way before the Breach of the Cohorne, and the inferiour Angle saillant, or Point towards the Sambre, and our Troops being fatigu'd by so long an Assault, and the Enemies Resistance, we contented our selves to make a Lodgment here without any farther At­tempt upon the Breach. Upon this Re-inforcement of the Dutch and Bavarians, at this Attack, by my Lord Cutts, and the English Troops under his Command, the Enemies were so employ'd in the defence of this most dangerous Post, as very much facilitated Major-General la Cave's Enterprize upon the Cover'd-way before the Ravelin, and upper Point of the Cohorne, and so on towards the Casotte, where he lodg'd himself without any considerable Loss.

Major-General Swerin commanding the Right Attack of all, before the Cas [...]tte and so towards the Meuse, de­sign'd to beat the Enemies from the Cover'd way, and Re­trenchment between the Casotte and the Meuse, (which [Page 152] reaches to the Brow of the Hill, which has here a very steep descent to the River) overcame the Enemies Resi­stance, and made a very good Lodgment all along this Cover'd-way and Retrenchment, of about 300 Paces, which he extended to the Left, turning in towards the Co­horne, about 140 Paces more, to join it to that of Major-General la Cave, which reached to the Ravelin of the Cohorne. The Dutch and Bavarians (commanded at first by Major-General Rivera) carry'd it to the Angle saillant, or inferior Point of the Cohorne towards the Sambre; and our rally'd Forces continu'd it to the other side of this Angle before the Breach, so that we were now Masters of one of the greatest Lodgments that ever have been made in one Assault, being near an English Mile in length. Tho' we miscarried in the great Design of this general Storm, (which was to have taken the Castle, with all its prodigi­ous Outworks, by assault) for want of a due Correspon­dence among our several Attacks, either by the Failure or Mistake of the Signals. Such a vast Lodgment could not be done in a moment, the Assault lasted till the Even­ing, nor could it be gain'd without Loss. I have not seen the particular List of the Foreigners, but the chief Officers amongst them kill'd, were Count Rivera, Major-General of the Bavarians, and Envoy Extraordinary from the Elector of Bavaria, to condole His Majesty upon the Death of our late most Gracious Queen; Monsieur de Mar­silly Colonel, commanding the Regiment du Theil, and Fabrice Lieutenant-Colonel; Colonel Lindrcot of the Bran­denbourghers, and Heckeren of the Dutch. Their chief Offi­cers wounded, were the Prince of Holstein Norbourg Bri­gadier, the Colonels Lindsburg, Caunits, Horne, d'Ohna, and Denhoff, and Monsieur de Milune, Colonel of a Swisse Regiment, besides a great many Lieutenant-Colonels, Majors, Captains, and subaltern Officers.

As for our Loss, it was as follows: My Lord Cutts was wounded in the Head, who commanded our Attack; Co­lonel Eppingen of the Danes, who commanded our Detach­ment of Grenadeers, wounded. In the first Battalion of [Page 153] he first Regiment of English Guards, Lieutenant-Colonel Evans, who commanded the Grenadeers of the Brigade, wounded; he had been wounded before in the Assault, July 8. In the second Battalion, Captain Mitchel kill'd' in the Dutch Guards, Captain Cock wounded; in the Scots Guards, Captain Campbel wounded; in the Royal Regiment, Lieutenant William Hamilton kill'd, Lieutenant Archibald Hamilton wounded, he had been wounded before in the Third Assault before the Town, July [...]3. In Sel­wyn's Regiment, Lieutenant Gilpin wounded, Lieutenant Richards wounded among the Engineers; in Trelauney, Lieutenant d' Aneau kill'd; in Seymour's, Lieutenant Camp­bel kill'd; in Columbine's, Captain Cummins kill'd, Lieute­nant Twinhoe wounded; in the Fusiliers, Captain Groves, and Lieutenant Rainsford, wounded; in Tidcomb's, Lieu­tenant Sowell wounded; in Stanley's, Lieutenant Mordant kill'd; in Ingoldsby's, Captain Parry kill'd; in Saunderson's, Lieutenant Midlemore kill'd; in Maitland's, Lieutenant Ar­thurs wounded. All these were Officers of Grenadeers: There were yet some others of the same, whose Names I could not get

The Loss of the Four Regiments concern'd in the At­tack, was as follows: In Colonel Courthop's Regiment, the Colonel, Captain Coot, and Lieutenant Evans kill'd; Sir Matthew Bridges, Lieutenant-Colonel, who now has the Regi­ment, wounded; Captains, Wolf, and du Bourguay; Lieutenants, Disbordes, and Ash; Ensigns, Foncebran, Eyres, and Denis, with 101 Soldiers kill'd, and 149 wounded. In Colonel Friderick Hamilton's Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Ormsby; Captains, Purefoy, Pinsent, and Carteret; Lieutenants, Fits­morris, and Ramme; Ensigns, Fettyplace, Blunt, Baker, and Hayter, kill'd. Captain John Southwel, and Ensign Lister, dead of their Wounds. Colonel Friderick Hamilton; Cap­tains, Kane, du Roure, Seymour, and William Southwel; Lieutenants, la Planche, Brereton, Hybert, Arphaxad, R [...]le­ston; Ensigns, John Gifford, Ormsby, and Blackney, woun­ded: Soldiers kill'd 86, wounded 185. In Colonel Mac­kay's Regiment, Captain Catenberg, Ensign Macdo [...]gal, [Page 154] kill'd. Major Cunningham; Captains, Cunningham, Mac­kenzy, Camerone, and Bruce; Lieutenants, Macleod, Monro, Dickson, and Wilson; Ensigns, Neil Macleod, Monro, John Macleod, Macdonald, Gordon, and Martyn, wounded: Sergeants and Soldiers kill'd, 73. wounded 166. In Co­lonel Buchan's Regiment, Captains, Johnston, Baily, and Wear, Lieutenant Bailly, kill'd: Lieutenant-Colonel Guil­liams; Captains, Dalham, Cassin, and Orach; Lieutenants, Levingston, and Windram; Ensigns, Gordon, Lesley, and Urguhart, wounded: Soldiers and Sergeants kill'd 65, wounded 140. The Loss in these 4 Regiments of Offi­cers and Soldiers, kill'd and wounded, being join'd toge­ther, amounts to 1028. besides the Grenadiers, which, I'm sure, had near 300 kill'd and wounded: So that the whole Loss of His Majesty's Forces, concern'd in this A­ction, amounted to about 1400 Men; tho' most Prints, that speak of this Business, make the whole Loss of the Allies to come to little more than this. 'Tis true, that the other Forces concern'd in the Attacks of the Cohorne and Casotte, did not suffer near so much as we did, or rather, their Loss was but inconsiderable, except the Dutch and Bavarians, employ'd in the Attack of the Breach of the Cohorne, under Major-General Rivera, who had many, both Officers, and Soldiers, kill'd and wounded; and if the Loss of all the rest of the Allies put together be sup­pos'd equal to that we sustain'd, we must have had in all, kill'd and wounded in this Action, near 3000 Men. We had a great many Voluntiers to signalize themselves in this Occasion. If I could have got a List of all these worthy Gentlemen, I would have mention'd them in this Place. What Loss the Enemies sustain'd, particularly in this Attack, is not known, no more than in any of the others; but we need not doubt, but such an Attack, which lasted so long, and where our Bombs play'd at the same time incessantly in their Works, must destroy them a great many Men. This Night, (30th.) Major-General Arnheim had [Page 155] the Trenches, with the Prince of Anhalt Brigadier. We work'd all Night to strengthen and fortifie the great Lodgment we had made the Day before.

To return to the two Armies, in presence of one another; the one to endeavour to relieve the Besieged, and the other to cover the Besiegers. Villeroy had been the Day before, to visit our Posts at St. Denis; and though he began then to apprehend the great Dif­ficulty there was to attack us in our strong Posts, and the apparent Hazard of a Battel, yet to endea­vour all Ways possible to relieve the Place, he or­der'd the Army in the Morning, (20th.) to march upon the Left towards Perwys, to try a Passage at the Springs of the Mehaigne, the Country being more open thereabouts. The King, who expected this Mo­tion of the Enemies, order'd in the Morning our Ca­valry of the Right, under the Command of Velt-Mare­chal Fleming, and Count d' Arco, with Lumley's Brigade, to march on upon the Right towards the Mehaigne: The Hesse Troops made the same Motion, and they all encamp'd with a Wood upon their Right, their Left to­wards the Village of Du, and that of Ypigny's before them. Lieutenant-General la Forest was detach'd at the same time with 20 Squadrons of Horse to Taviers and Bonef, upon the Mehaigne, to observe the Enemies March, who came early in the Afternoon to their Camp near the Mehaigne. Lieutenant-General la Forest continu'd in his Post, till the Left Wing of the Ene­mies Horse (which, upon this March, had the Van of the Army) was come up to the Ground, which ex­tended it self along the River, between Ramelies, and Harlue, and Taviers, upon the Mehaigne. As soon as the Left Wing was come up, they detach'd about 40 Squa­drons of Horse and Dragoons, to beat us out of the Post of Bonef: But la Forest, who was here posted, had Orders not to dispute it, but only to observe the Ene­mies [Page 156] March, and abandon it; the Enemies being so near, and so much superior to him in number, this occasion'd some disorder in his Retreat. The Detachment of Dopf, and Eppinger's Dragoons, that had been posted in some Hedges, to make good our Retreat, were forc'd out of it; and the Enemies having gain'd the Pass, endea­vour'd to flank our Horse, which march'd off in two Columns, and to surround them with their Line of Squadrons: However, after some Skirmishes on both sides, our Cavalry made their Retreat good. Major Crowther commanded a Squadron of Brigadier Lumley's Regiment in this occasion, with which he fac'd about in the Retreat, and with some others skirmish'd with the Enemies. The French expected that this would bring both Armies to a Battel, and the Princes of the Blood put themselves at the Head of the Cavalry, to shew a good Example in so important an Action. The Duke du Maine had a Horse kill'd under him; the Marquis de Villequier was dangerously wounded. On our side, the Major of Eppinger's Dragoons was kill'd, and Lieu­tenant Alexander, of Brigadier Lumley's Regiment, was made Prisoner, and we lost about 10 Horses. The French made much of this inconsiderable Success; an Ex­press was immediately dispatch'd, to give an Account of it to Court. They had already broke in upon our Right Wing of Horse; and nothing less was expected by the next Courier, than the Defeat and Rout of our Army, and the Relief of Namur; nay, the thing was thought so sure, that 'twas immediately communicated to Foreign Ministers, as 'tis credibly reported. This also contributed very much to the Oppression of our Dix­muyde and Deinse Prisoners, who were now very ill treated and abused; though afterwards the Pretext was for Reprisal of their Sick and Wounded in the Town of Namur, which they pretended were not well us'd among us. Some of the most hot-Headed of our National Enemies abroad, would then tell the Soldiers, to terrifie [Page 157] them, That they must not expect to be treated as Priso­ners of War, but as Rebels. But this was making a Triumph before the Victory, as it prov'd to their Con­fusion.

The King being inform'd of the Enemies March up­on their Left, towards Perwys, order'd the Army to march upon the Right, at the same time that our Be­siegers were engag'd in the Assault against the Castle and Outworks The King took his Quarter this Day at a Gentleman's House, call'd Ostin, near the Village of Du. The Brigade of Guards being now in the Reserve, en­camp'd upon the Right of the King's Quarter, in a third Line, near the Hesse Troops: Our Body of Foot encamp'd within the Retrenchment of Du, and our Cavalry encamp'd behind them, to sustain the Foot in the defence of the Retrenchments. We abandon'd the perpendicular Retrenchment at Bossire, between Masy and Gemblours. Livingston's Dragoons, with the Regi­ment of Foot, of Holstein Ploen, was left to guard the Post of Masy: my Lord George Hamilton Brigadier, was left to guard the Retrenchment of Golsines, with three Battalions. This was made upon the quitting of the Retrenchment of Bossire, leaving Golsines (Prince Vaudemont's Quarter) before it, who was Quarter'd at Ostin, in the same House with His Majesty. Brigadier Fitspatrick continu'd with his Eight Battalions at St. Denis. We had a good Body of Horse posted at Ypignies before our Right. At our coming to this Ground, we saw the Enemies encamp'd with their Left near the Mehaigne, between Ramelies and Taviers, and their Right stretching towards Orbais, with Perwys before them, and Malevre in their Rear. At Night we continu'd our Retrenchment from Du, to the Wood upon our Right, to be defended by the Hesse Troops, and some of the Body of Foot.

The 21st. we continu'd our Fire against the Castle with the usual Fury, to make all Things ready for ano­ther Assault. We began to apply the Miner to the [Page 158] Breach of the Cohorne; for our Cannon firing from the Town, and the other side of the River up the Hill, could only break down the upper part of the Work, whilst the Foot of it remain'd entire under the Shot of our Cannon; and besides, having gain'd the Counterscarp of this Work, our Cannon could not play against the Cohorne, without doing harm to our own Men: And this I suppose was the Reason why we design'd in the last Attack to carry the Counterscarp and Breach all at once. At Night Major-General Lindeboom mounted the Trenches, with Brigadier Dedem. The same Day, the Maréchal de Villeroy pass'd the Mehaigne, with a good Body of Horse, and advanc'd as far as Ypignies. The grand Guard we had here, retreated to the Camp upon his Approach, their Orders being not to engage. The Maréchal de Villeroy left the main of his Body of Horse, and rid on, full speed, with two Squadrons of Hussars, (whose Horses are very fleet, and fit for such a purpose) close to our Retrenchments, upon our Right, to view our Works, and to observe our Camp: He continued here, wheeling sometime to the Right, and sometime to the Left, near a little Hedge that cover'd him. We brought down some Pieces of Cannon to fire upon him, which as soon as he perceiv'd it, he rid off full speed with his two Squadrons under the shelter of a Wood we had be­fore the Hesse Retrenchment. At the same time that we brought down our Cannon, we drew up several Re­giments of Foot within our Line, expecting the Ene­mies; but no Action happen'd, only some pickeering (as they term it;) that is, when single Men detach them­selves voluntarily from both sides, to meet and fire upon one another, and then retire to their several Bodies again. The Maréchal de Villeroy having observ'd the Posture of our Camp, and our strong Retrenchments, rid back again full speed with his Hussars, to the main Body of Horse he had left at the heighth of Ypignies. We de­tach'd some Squadrons after him, the grand Mousquetaires [Page 159] of Brandenbourgh being one of them; but without any other Action, than the former Pickeering. Villeroy having found us so well posted in this Place, would yet try to find out a Passage for the Relief of Namur, between our Right and the Meuse; and therefore he went with his Detachment of Hus­sars, towards the Village of Verderin, where there is another narrow Plain upon the skirt of a thick Wood, which from hence continues to the Meuse. The Dra­goons of Dopf and Eppinger were posted here, where they made a Retrenchment; and the Cavalry of the Right was commanded this Day, with Lumley's Brigade, to join these Dragoons, for the Defence of this Post, with Collier's Brigade, which hitherto had continu'd in the little Retrenchment, in the Wood between St. Denis, and Golsines. Thus Villeroy found all the Passages guarded before the Town from the Sambre, where the River of Masy falls into it, by all these Villages we have mention'd, round to the Meuse below Namur, at our Bridge of Communication; making, with Woods, Rivulets, and Retrenchments, a kind of an outer Line of Circumvallation, near Twelve English Miles in length. And this was thought a better Defence, than to have disputed the Pas­sage of the Mehaigne to the Enemies, when they came to Perwys.

Although Villeroy had now lost all Hopes of doing any thing for the Relief of the Castle, for he found that he could not attack us without hazarding the Loss of his whole Army, and that ours was in a good Condition, and strongly posted, (and indeed our Strength was such, that, I believe, had not the Siege of the Castle depended upon the Issue of a Battel, we should hardly have put a Spade in the Ground to have made a Retrenchment) yet the Enemies Presence at Perwys was very inconvenient to our Army, which was now shut up in a kind of a Line [Page 160] of Circumvallation, where Forage was very scarce: They had cut off all Communication with Brussels and Louvain, from whence we had our Provisions: They were now Masters of the River-side, between Namur and Liege, so that we could have nothing from thence by Water, but must be brought by Land, on the Dinant side, through a difficult Country. But the Maréchal de Villeroy had secur'd his Communi­cation with Charleroy and Mons, by leaving the Mar­quis de Harcourt with a small Army near Fleury: From whence it appears, that if the French had not left the Castle to the last Extremity, before they came to Relieve it, it might have prov'd of a very dangerous Consequence to our Army, which would have been in a manner depriv'd of Subsistance for Man and Horse. But they must bombard Brussels first, and so they came too late; and I cannot ima­gine the Reason of this Proceeding, unless they be­liev'd all the Reports of our Losses, publish'd in the Paris Gazette; and so to let the Siege run on, to shat­ter our Army, and then to come at last with their Army, to give the finishing Stroke to our Ruine. If they say, their Rhine Detachment was not yet come up, ours had not join'd us neither, and so there had still been the same Proportion between the two Armies. Though we began to want at this time, yet our Soldiers suffer'd it with a great Constancy, and few or none deserted to the Ene­mies. Upon the Maréchal de Villeroy's posting him­self near the Mehaigne, a Re-inforcement of Horse and Foot was sent to L [...]uvain, from our little Army at Brussels, commanded by the Marquis de Bedmar, Lieutenant-General Bellasis, and Count Tilly, to watch after the Security of this great and defenceless Place, which was now wholly expos'd to the Enemies.

[Page 161] The 22th, in the Morning the Thunder of our Canons conti­nued against the Castle, and we were working hard to bring our Mine to perfection under the breach of the Cohorne, when about Noon the Besieged beat a Parley to bury the Dead which had been killed in the Assault the 20th. which began to stink and incommode them very much: A Cessation was agreed upon for Two Hours to bury the Dead: But the Besieged finding that the Ma­rechal de Villeroy could not relieve them; that they had already sustain'd a desperate Assault; that we had made a great Lodg­ment upon the Cover'd way of the Cohorne, and Casotte; that the Cohorne could not hold out anothet Assault, and the breach of the Terra Nova, which was wholly commanded by it was not then defensible; that the Soldiers were reduc'd to eat Horse-Flesh; (For though at the beginning, when Athlone was marching to invest the place, they had brought in all the Cattle of the Countrey round about, yet it being Salted in hast, and in the Heat of Summer, when they came to make use of it in the Siege of the Castle, it was so corrupted, that they were forced to throw it away, and to prefer Horse-Flesh before it,) and that the whole Garrison was extreamly fatigu'd by their long Service in this Siege, and by the fury of our Boombs which fell in their Works without ceasing: For these reasons they resolv'd to Capitulate and Surrender the Place: The Count de Guiscard came upon the Breach a little before the Cessation was over, and called for the Major General of the Trenches, who was then Lindeboom, and told him that he desir'd to speak with the Elector. Count Verita one of the Gentlemen to his Electoral Highness was then in the Trenches, and he immediately gave notice of it to the Elector, who thereupon came to the Breach. Count de Guiscard at first offered to surrender the Cohorne, but the Elector refu'sd to Capitulate for any part, but for the whole: The Count de Guiscard replyed that the Marechal de Boufflers Commanded in the Castle, and that he would let him know it; and in the mean while desired the Cessation to be continued. The Mare­chal de Boufflers consented to surrender the whole upon Honoura­ble Terms, and the Count de Guiscard came back to the Breach of the Cohorne to acquaint the Elector with it, The White Flag was immediately put up upon the Breach, and Hostages exchan­ged; [Page 162] which for the Besieged were Monsieur de l' Abadie Briga­dier, and the Count de Monthron Colonel of the Dauphin's Re­giment of Foot; and for us, Major General La Cave, and Co­lonel Frederick Hamilton, who had been lightly wounded in the Assault, and Baron Meyer one of the Electors Ministers was sent in to manage the Capitulation. An Express was immediately dispatch'd to give Notice of it to the King at Ostin: But His Ma­jesty was then coming to the Siege with Prince Vaudemont, in his Coach to order a second Assault, and the Express met His Ma­jesty in the way. The Capitulation was agreed upon, and Sign'd that very Night. The Count d' Guiscard obliged the Marechal d' Boufflers to Sign it, because he had Commanded in the Castle during the Siege; but the Count de Guiscard had only Comman­ded in the Cohorne and Out-works, and so could not Sign for the Surrender of the Castle; and this I believe is the first Capitula­tion that has been Sign'd by a Marechal of France, which was as follows.

Articles propos'd for the Capitulation of the Castle of Namur, to His Electoral Highness of Bavaria, joynt­ly with the Allies by the Marechal de Boufflers.

1 THAT the said Castle, with the Lower Town shall be de­livered up to the Troops of the Allies the 10th of this Instant September, in case it be not reliev'd: And that during the said time no Act of Hostility shall be committed between the Besieged and the Besiegers.

2. That on the said 10th. of September, the Outer-gate of the said Castle towards the Countrey shall be given up to the Troops of the Allies, where a Guard of the Troops of the Garrison shall be likewise plac'd to prevent the Troops mixing together, and all dis­orders. The outward Fortifications, viz. The Fort of Cohorne, the Redoubt with a Casematte, the Casotte and the Horne-work of Bulé shall be deliver'd up to Morrow Morning, being the se­cond Instant, at 9 of the Clock.

3. That the Marechal de Boufflers, the Count de Guiscard, Lieutenant General of the Kings Armies, and Governour of Namur, [Page 163] with all the General Officers, and Officers of the State-Major of the place, the Officer and Guards of the Marechal, all the Troops, as well French as Foreigners, the Officers of the Artillery, and all others whatsoever that are in the Castle, in the most Christian Kings ser­vice, shall march the 12th of this Moneth out of the Breach, with their Arms, Baggage and Horses, Drums beating, lighted Match and Colours flying, with 12 Pieces of Great Canon and Mortars as the Besieged shall chuse with their Carriages and Arms, and Ammunitions for Twelve Shot to each Piece; in order to march altogether to Givet, the nearest way along the Meuse; and in two or three days at the choice of the Besieged, with­out being obliged to go any other way under any pretence whatsoever; And they shall have a Convoy given them by the Allyes, as well for the security of the Garrisons, as for that of the Equipages. They shall march out the 5th. of this Moneth at Seven in the Morning, with Two Twenty-four Pounders, Two Twelve Pounders, and Two Six Pounders, and Two Mortars. The rest of the Article is granted.

4. That for transporting the said Twelve Pieces of Canon and Morters, the Equipages of the Troops, and the sick and wounded of the said Garrison, a Hundred Draught Horses with their Harnesses, besides a Hundred Wagons, drawn each by Four Horses, and Fifty great Boats of the Meuse shall be furnished by the Allies at their own charge; with a sufficient Number of Watermen and Horses to bring them to Givet; all which shall be provided by the 10th. of this Moneth, that so they may load them time enough to go out with the Garrison, and to take the same way, that they may arrive toge­ther at Givet.

5. That the sick and wounded remaiing in the Town of Namur, who are in a Condition to go out with the Garrison of the Castle, may do it at the same time; and that Boats and Watermen shall be provided for them at the charge of the Allies to transport them to Givet.

A sufficient Number of Horses for the Canon and Mortars shall be provided for them, and Eighty Waggons, and as many Boats as can be found in two days, before that which is fixed for the going out of the Garrison, and the rest as fast as they can be [Page 164] got, so as the whole shall be furnished by the Twelfth of this Moneth. The Besieged may leave Officers and Commissaries to take care of the Sick and Wounded, and the Equipages who can­not depart with the Garrison for want of Boats on the 5th. Instant, and Pasports shall be given them. The rest of these Articles is granted.

6. That such of the Sick and Wounded as are at present in the Castle, and Lower Town, and who shall not be in a condition to be Transported to Givet at the same time the Garrison marches out of the Castle shall be carried in the Town of Namur, by such Conveni­encies as the Besieged shall furnish before the evacuation of the Castle; and shall have Convenient Lodgings provided there by the Allies, for the Officers, Dragoons, and Soldiers, with Beds, Pro­visions, and Medicines at the charge of the Allies, until their per­fect recovery, in the same manner they are use to be treated and provided for in the Most Christian Kings Hospitals; as also to the Physitians, Surgeons, and other Persons appointed to take care of them. And as soon as any of the Sick and Wounded shall recover, they shall have Passports from the Allies, and Boats and Watermen to Conduct them safely by the Meuse to Givet, together with the Physitians, Surgeons, and others appointed to take care of them on the way. Granted.

7. That Monsieur de Megrigny, Marechal de Camp of the Kings Armies, The Sieur Fellet Director of the Fortifications, the Ingeniers, Ʋndertakers, and others Imployed in the Fortifications, shall enjoy the Benefit of this Capitulation, and shall march out with the Troops, in order to repair the same way to Givet, with their Equipages and Effects. Granted.

8. That the Sieur de Fumeron imployed in the Finances, the Commissaries of War, the Recievers of Contributions and Confisca­tions, the Treasurers extraordinary of War, the Commissaries of the Provisions, and of the Hospitals, and generally all those employ­ed in the Castle whether nam'd or not nam'd in this present Capitu­lation, shall march out of the said Castle with the Garrison, in or­der to go the same way to Givet, without stopping any of their Equipages, Papers or Effects, whether they be in the Castle or Town of Namur, under any pretence whatsoever.

9. That no Officer nor other Person to whom the Burghers of Namur have lent any Money, or Furnished Goods or Merchandize, [Page 165] shall be Arrested for it. Granted, provided they give sufficient Se­curity or Hostages to his Electoral Highness for what they owe.

10. That Six cover'd Waggons shall be provided by the Allies for the Besieged, which shall go out of the Castle to be Conducted to Givet with the Garrison, and the Allies shall not take notice of what they are loaded with, nor visit them. Granted.

11. That the Prisoners taken during the present Siege shall be released on both sides, and that those who are in the Allies Army, or in the Town, shall be sent back to the Castle before the Garrison marches out: And the rest that are in places more remote, shall be sent back to Dinant in Fifteen Days, reckoning from this Day, with necessary Pasports that they may repair thither safely, and the nearest way. Granted.

12. That no Satisfaction shall be demanded from the Besieged, either upon account of any Cattle taken in the County of Namur be­fore the Siege, or for the Houses that have been demolished in the Lower Town, or elsewhere, for the defence of the place; nor for the Boats burnt or broak during the Siege. Granted only for what concerns the Houses demolished: The rest shall be pay'd.

13. That the Hostages given on both sides for the due perfor­mance of this Capitulation, shall be reciprocally restored after the full Execution thereof, and the Arrival of the Garrison at Givett. Granted.

The Besieged shall deliver up faithfully their Magazines, Am­munition, Canon, Mortars, Carriages, and Dependances, and all other Instruments of War, none reserv'd or excepted, which shall be in the Castle or Outworks to Morrow Morning the second Instant, to such Commissaries as his Electoral High­ness shall appoint for that purpose.

They shall also faithfully discover their Mines, and Fougaces, (a little Superficial Mine) to the Officers of the Mines sent to in­spect the same.

They shall likewise deliver, with the same Fidelity, all the Provisions that are in the Magazines over and above what they shall consume before the time of their quitting the Castle, and what shall be necessary in their March to Givet, without spoiling or wasting any; which shall be inspected to Morrow by Com­missaries appointed by His Electoral Highness for that purpose.

[Page 166] That all Spaniards, Italians, and others of His Catholick Majesties Subjects, which shall be found among the Troops of the Castle shall have liberty to return without any molestation or trouble either from the one side or the other.

Given at the Camp before the Castle of Namur, the First day of September, N. S. 1695.
and Signed,
  • Emanuel, Elector.
  • Boufflers.
  • Guiscard.

That Evening the Castle Capitulated, Orders were given in His Majesties Camp for all Officers to lye in their Cloaths, and the Soldiers the same, with their Arms ready; and the Bywacht or Camp-Guard of a Captain, Lieutenant, Ensign, and 60 Men per Batallion was commanded to reinforce our Post at Masy, then defended by Levingston's Dragoons, and the Regiment of Foot of Holstein-Ploen: This was to prevent all manner of surprize from the Enemies, who upon the news of the Capi­tulation might have presum'd upon our negligence, to fall upon us, or might have been prompted to it by their own despair, to give this last endeavour to have this Important Place; but we did not find it, so we past the Night quietly. The 23d. in the Morning we took possession of the Cohorne, Redoubt, with the Casematte, Casotte, &c. according to the Capitulation Sign'd over Night. The Marechal de Villeroy having notice of the Capitulation, was extremely concern'd at it, and was some Hours without admitting any Body to see him; It is probable he did not hear of it before this Morning; for great part of the Army was gone to Forrage this day: The Marechal would not be a Witness to our Rejoycing for this great Conquest, but De­camp'd in the Afternoon from Perwys and Grand Rosiers to march back upon his Right to Sombref, and the Plaine of Fleury, which he did all Night with such haste and precipitation, that he left many Forragers and Out-guards behind him. This Evening we [Page 167] had a Feu de Joy in our Camp for the taking of the Castle of Namur, which being dispers'd in the several Posts along our Retrenchments from Masy to the Meuse; the confusion of the Fire from so many places was really agreeable, and the triple Discharge of our Small Shot seem'd to be but one of a long Con­tinuance: Our Artillery was drawn from all the Posts upon a Line behind the Kings Quarter, consisting of 56 Pieces of English, 10 Dutch, 10 of Brandenburgh, and 10 of Hesse, in all 86 Pie­ces of Canon. The 24th. the Marecal de Villeroy continued his March towards the Sambre, and Encamp'd at Montigny near Charleroy; The same Day His Majesty remov'd His Quarters from Ostin to the Chasteau of Boucquet near Templeaux, to be nearest to Namur, we rectified our Camp, quitting the Retrench­ments and former Posts to Incamp upon a Line, with our Right of Foot at St. Dennis, the Right Wing between Du and Meux, and the Left at Masy; The Coldstream Batallion, and the first of Dutch Guards Incamp'd at the Kings Quarter at Boucquet. The 25th. the Marechal de Villeroy passed the Sambre at Montigny below Charleroy, and Incamp'd between the Sambre and the Meuse about Gerpynes and Florennes, in the way between Charleroy and Philipville, after having viewed the Fortifications of Charleroy, and given Orders for the safety of that place. The same Day, the Count de Guiscard Governour of Namur Din'd with the Duke of Ormond at His Graces Quarter. Whilst the Duke of Ormond was Prisoner at Namur after the Battle of Landen, they contracted a Reciprocal Esteem and Friendship, which must needs be very great, being grounded upon so much Worth and Generosity on both sides. In the Evening Major-General Churchill was commanded with Twenty Batallions to Encamp within the Line of Circumvallation between Maison Rouge (the Kings Quarter during the Siege of the Town of Namur) and the Town: All the Regiments employed in the Siege of the Castle Incamp'd within the Stone-Line between the Sambre and the Meuse just before the Cohorne and Casotte as soon as we took Possession of those Out-works. Every Body won­der'd at this Detachment of 20 Batallions under the Command of Major-General Churchill to march near the Town; but I be­lieve the Design being laid to Arrest the Marechal de Boufflers, [Page 168] this Detachment was made to Reinforce our Troops there, in case of any Opposition from the Garrison.

The 26th. being the Day prefix'd for the marching out of the Garrison four Brigades of Foot were commanded to make a Lane, drawing up on both sides from the Breach of Terra Nova up the Hill, and so down again to the Meuse, to the way that leads to Givet; Colliers Brigade had the Right next to the Meuse, the rest being Dutch. A Bridge of Boats was made upon the Sambre between the Fauxbourg, St. Croix and the Town for His Majesty to come over to be present at the marching out of the Garrison; and likewise for the Troops Incamped on the other side, if there had been occasion. About Ten of the Clock the Garrison began to march out of the Breach: The Marechal de Bouffler's Guards du Corps march'd out first, and then the Marechal's Domesticks; The Marechal himself fol­lowed with the Count de Guiscard Governour, at the Head of as many of the King's and Alfeld's Dragoons as were Mounted, being between Seventy or Eighty: His Majesty was on Horse­back with the Elector before the Breach; the Mareschal and the Count de Guiscard Saluted at the Head of the Garrison on Horse­back with their Swords. Monsieur Dickvelt having been ac­quainted with the Marechal de Boufflers in his Embassyes in France Accosted him, and Rid with him to the top of the Hill, where Monsieur de L' Etang Brigadier of the Brigade of Life-Guard rid up to the Marechal, with about Twelve Gentlemen of the Life-Guard, and Arrested him in His Majesties Name for Satisfaction for the Garrisons of Dixmuyde and Deinse, Detain­ed still Prisoners by the French King contrary to the Cartel. The Marechal was very much Incens'd at first with our Procee­ding, alledging the Publick Faith of the Capitulation, wherein he was expresly mentioned: That the French King his Master would resent this Treatment to a Man of his Character, and revenge it to the utmost of his Power, and that for his part he had defen­ded the place like a Man of Honour, and did not deserve it; To which Monsieur Dickvelt replyed, That the French King, by his little regard to Capitulations, and particularly to that of Dixmuyde and Deynse had forced us to this way of demanding Satisfaction for the infraction of these Capitulations, That if [Page 169] he was Arrested, 'twas not out of any disrespect to his Person and Character; On the contrary, That when 'twas proposed to His Majesty of Great Britain to retain the whole Garrison by way of Reprizal: The King expressed so much value for his Person, that he look'd upon him as sufficient Caution to answer for Six Thousand Men, the Number of the Two Garrisons of Dixmude and Deinse: And at the same time offer'd him his Liberty by His Majesties Order, if he would pass his word for the sending back the said Garrisons, or return himself Prisoner within a Fortnight, or words to this effect; The Mareschal answered, ‘That he could not pass his word of Honour in a Matter which he could not execute himself, that it was in vain for him to resist:’ And so he put up his Sword, and went back with his Domesticks to Namur, where he was detained Prisoner, and treated with all the Honour due to his Character, and to a Marechal of France: A Captain Lieutenant and Ensign mounted the Guard upon his Quarter with Colours, and beat a March to him, and saluted him when he went abroad, having the Liberty of the Town upon his word. The Garrison marched on with the Count de Guiscard at the Head of it, in this order, The Dragoons of the Kings and Asfeld's Regiments (as many as were mounted) on Horseback, preceeded by Boufflers Life-Guards: Next followed the Infantry of the Garrison which march'd out in this Order, One Battallion of Nice, then One of Navar, then Three of Piemont se­verally, One of La Marre, One of Foix, One of Court Swisse, One of Solre: Then the Independent Companies marched in the Cen­ter of the Foot, followed by a Battallion of Haynault, One of Bugey, Two of Maulevrier severally, One of Beauvoisis, Two of Dauphin, Salade together; and Three more Battallions of Dauphin severally; In all 19 Battallions. The Dragoons on Foot follow'd in this Order, Du Barreau, Asfeld Estranger, de Ganges, St. Hermine, Gramont, Quelus, Dauphin, and the King's, brought up by Monsieur de L' aumont, Lieutenant-Go­vernour: All the Officers were very desirous to see the King in Marching out, asking where the King was, and they saluted with their Pikes and Portuisanes the King and the Elector, who stood by one another. The Artillery granted by the Ca­pitulation, and Wagons, march'd out of the Lower Town by [Page 170] the Meuse, and the Horn-work of Bulè, with the Battallion of Fuziliers, the Gunners, Miners, Pioneers, &c. The Four Bri­gades above-mentioned still standing to their Armes, and the For­ces that had taken possession of the Cohorne, Redoubt, Casotte, &c. And by Four in the Afternoon the whole Place was evacuated, and delivered up into our hands. The Battallions which march'd out of the Breach according to the List which I have seen and cast up, made 3867 Effective Men, and the Dragoons 1085, which in all amounts to 4942 Men, Foot and Dragoons, besides the Independant Companies, and the Battallion of Fusiliers, which march'd out of the Gate by the Meuse with the Artillery, all which supposing to amount to 500 Men, with the Gunners, Miners, &c. must make the Garrison marching out to be 5442 Effective Men; which being deducted from 12000 Effective under Armes at the beginning of the Siege, makes the loss of the Besieged to amount to 6558 Men killed, wounded, and deserted, supposing the Garrison to have been at first but 12000 Effective Men. As for the Losses of the Allies in this Siege, I could not get an Exact Calculation of it; and therefore shall pass it over; but by the best accounts I could see, it did not come up to the double of the Loss of the Besieged.

The Garrison being all marched out, the Spanish Terces (Re­giments) of Manriques and Marino, which had been sent from Brussels for that purpose, took possession of the Castle to do Duty there, according to their Antient Custom; the Forces of the Allies having the Town, and all the Out-works of the Castle. His Majesty went this Evening into the Castle, Cohorne, &c. to view the Works, the Breaches, and the Ruines, which were very great; the Ground was all full of Bomb pits, and the stink of the Dead Men and Horses very noisom. The Officers and Sol­diers had cut in the foot of the Walls within, and Counterscarps, little Cabbins, where they shelter'd themselves from the fall of our Bombs; some of which were lined with Deal-Boards, like a kind of Wainscot: The Marechal de Boufflers had his dwelling in a Cas [...]matie upon the top of the Terra nova. We found 104 Pieces of Canon, of different bigness, Ten Mortars, and a great quantity of Powder, and other Ammunitions, but most of the Canon was Dismounted. His Electoral Highness went [Page 171] this same Evening in a Solemn manner to take possession of the Town, as Governour of the Low-Countreys, being received by the Clergy, and Magistrates, and the Confrairies, (i. e.) Com­panies of Tradesmen under the Patronage of some Saint: The last mounted upon Stilts about four Foot high, upon which they walk't and danc't very dexterously, Beat Drums, Represented Battles, and Display'd their Banners, &c. The Elector went in this order to the Cathedral, dedicated to St. Aubin, where the Bishop sang Te Deum Pontifically, with Trumpets and Kettle-Drums. A Stately Pyramid of Fire-works was prepared before the Electors Lodgings for the Night, when all the Cannon round the Place was thrice Discharged for its Deliverance from the French; under which it had been (reckoning from the Capi­tulation June 20th. 1692, to the Capitulation Aug. 22. 1695.) Three Years Two Moneths and Two Days▪

Thus this Important Place is fallen into our hands, which as the French said, could be Restored, but not Taken, which justly deserves the name of one of the strongest Towns of Europe. When Don John of Austria took it by Stratagem out of the hands of the States of the Low Countreys, who kept a Garrison in it by the Pacification of Ghent, he said that he had now the Key of the Netherlands in his Pocket, and that he was Master of the Countrey: We may as well say now, That since Namur opens the way between the Sambre and the Meuse, where the French have their weakest Frontier; that if we maintain that superiority of Forces we had the last Campagne, (as it is our Interest, and the sure way of bringing the War to a speedy and happy Conclusion) that it is the Key of Peace in our hands: And if we consider the vast strength of the Place, both by Nature and by Art, the great Garrison in it, the Character of a Marechal of France in general, and that of the Marechal of Boufflers in particular, that defended it with the many High and Considerable Officers under him: The great Armies con­cern'd on both sides, either to Cover or Attempt the Relief of this Siege, it may justly be rank'd among the most Famous Sieges Register'd in History: But that which adds very much to the Boldness of the Undertaking, and which shews the Visible Blessing of Almighty God upon it (which we ought alwayes [Page 172] thankfully to acknowledge) is, that at the same time we had a weak Frontier left Naked, and exposed to a Powerful Enemy: Brusselles, Bruges, and Ghendt seem [...]d to be at their Discretion; and though we had both A [...]h and [...], yet they covered none of these great and defenceless Places: And 'tis no [...] to be doubted, but that the French could have done us a vast deal of Mischief in our weak Frontiers, such as would have over bal­lanc'd the Loss of N [...]mur, if they had not set their heart upon the Raising of this Siege; but it was the Darling of the the French Kings Conquests, the finest S [...]ene of his History, and therefore a Place not to be taken, but by the Arms of France, and Lewis the 14th. in Person: If we likewise compare the pre­sent Strength of Namur to what it was when the French took it, and our Frontier to theirs; this must raise a vast difference be­tween the Siege of Namur 1692, and that of 1695. And that which must Elevate the Glory of His Majesty, the Great and Happy Conductor of this Siege, above all that other Conque­rors have done, is, That such Monarchs have made Conquests for themselves, Conquests to oppress their Neighbours, and to Raise a Mighty Empire upon their Ruine: But here His Majesty Expos'd Himself dayly to the greatest Dangers to Conquer for the good of Europe, to free it from Oppression, and to Establish its Peace and Liberties upon a Lasting Foundation. I shall say no more concerning this Famous Siege, but that the Forces of all the Allies concern'd in it, have Acquitted themselves like Gallant Men, and by forcing this strongest Ra [...]part the Ene­mies had in the Conquer'd Low-Countreys, they give us a very good Earnest of what we are to expect in other like attempts; but particularly his Majesties National Forces have done Won­ders; they have Encounter'd the greatest Dangers with so little Fear and Concerne as surprized the Besieged, and made them believe our Men were flush't with Brandy before they went on; as if Humane Nature, without some adventitious Supply was not capable of so little Fear and Concern in such Dangers.

The same day we took possession of the Castle of Namur, Prince Vaud [...]mont went sick from the Camp to Brussels; And though he was so at the very first coming of the Marechal de Villeroy to the Plains of Fleury, yet his Zeal and Courage had [Page 173] the better of his weakness, and carried him through all the Fatigues to see this great Affair over. Whilst we continued in this Camp near Namur, His Majesty went dayly to view the Forti­fications of the Castle and Outworks, to give Orders about the reparation of them, and the making new ones to defend the weakest parts; where we had found our advantage, not to give the same to others The Brigades that had been present at the marching out of the Enemies, continued Incamp'd about the Cohorne, Casotte, and Abbey of Salsen; and Major General Churchil with his 20 Battallions in the Retrenchments before the Town. The 28th. the Marechal de Villeroy repassed the Sambre at Bussiere and incamp'd along the River Haisne between the Sambre and Mons, with his Head Quarters at Binche, leaving the Marquis [...]e Harcourt with a flying Army to return into the [...]ay's de Luxembourg to observe the Brandenburgh Forces in their return home, and the Sieur de Pracontal, with a little Body about Philipville. The same day the Regiments of [...]erguson and Marton, &c. were sent to joyn Sir David Collier's Regiment by Namur, in order to remain there under his Command the Win­ter following; the rest of [...]ir Davids Collier's Brigade march'd back this day into the Camp. The 29th. the Army march'd upon the left from Boucqu [...]t by Masy, and Incamp'd with the Right at the Abby of Villers Pe [...]wys, and the left at Sombref the Kings Quar­ters, and the Electors at Marbais, glad to remove from the Neighbourhood of Namur, where Forage was so scarce: The Army consisted then of Seventy Five Battallions, and all the Ca­valry except that of Brandenburgh and Hesse, which with the rest of those Troops march [...]d to Falais, and Incamp'd with their Right upon the Mehaigne, and Left upon the Mense, but the Lantgrave of H [...]sse attended His Majesty to Sombreff, and took his leave the next day to return into Germany, leaving his Troops under the Command of Count Lippe, which with the Brandenburg Troops continued here sometime till the middle of September to cover Namur, whilst we were working dayly very hard to Repair the Breaches. Twenty Five Battallions remain [...]d besides at Namur under the Command of Major General Cohorne, who has since been made Lieutenant General for his extraordinary Services in the Siege, and the King of Spain has confer'd upon [Page 174] him the Title of Baron. The same Day ( 29th.) the Marechal de Boufflers was sent from Namur to Maestricht (under the Escort of the Fourth Troop of Guards) which went this day to Loo to expect His Majesty. The Marechal de Boufflers had the Liber­ty of the Town at Maestricht, and was treated with the same Respect by the Garrison, as if it had been the Duke of Holstein Ploen himself, beating a March, &c. Upon the Marching of our Army from Namur towards Halle, Sir Henry Bellasis left Brussels with the Ten Battallions under His Command, and marched back to Gh [...]nd [...] to Incamp at Bellem upon the Canal of Bruges, where he continued till the separation into Winter Quarters.

The 30th. the Army march'd upon the Right from Villers Perwys and Sombref to Bois Seigneur Isaac, a Rich Abby, where the King had his Quarter: We passed the Dyle above Genap, and Incamp [...]d with our Right at Brain le Chateau, and our Left at Witersey by Nivelle: The same day the Elector left the Camp to go to Louvain, and meet the Dutchess of Bavaria, who was going to the Baths at Aix la Chapelle. The Marechal de Villeroy march'd this day from Bin [...]he to the Plaines of Cambron, where he Incamped with his Right near the Dender, above Aeth, and his Left near the Abbey of Cambron, the Marechal de Villeroy had his Quarters at Chievres: Aeth was just in the Rear of their Right, and very much incommoded them in this Camp. 'Twas said at first they design'd to Besiege Aeth, but Namur was taken, and we had too considerable an Army in the Field for them to undertake it.

The 31. the Kings Army march'd from Bois Seigneur Isaac by Brain le Chateau, and passed the Senne between Lembeck and Halle upon Two Bridges, the Artillery and Wheel-Baggage by the Town of Halle, and so we Incamp'd as formerly, with our Right beyond Halle, and our Left beyond Tubise, the King's Quarters at Lembeck, and the Electors at Halle.

The first of September the Elector of Bavaria having attended her Electoral Highness some part of the way between Louvain and Maestricht came to Brusselles, where he assisted at the Te Deum, sung in the Great Church of St. Gudules by the Arch-Bishop of Malines for the Reduction of Namur; All the High Officers of the Court, the Council of State, and that of the [Page 175] Finances, Septemb. all the Magistrates and Clergy being present: The Canon was Thrice discharged round the Ramparts in the Eve­ning, and the Elector receiv'd the Complements of the Court, of the Officers of State, Magistrates, &c. for his Success in this great Enterprize, where he has Expos'd himself wonderfully in all Dangers for the good of the Countrey. And here I cannot forbear mentioning the great Expressions of Joy this poor City made for the taking of Namur, though it had been so severely us [...]d by the French in the late Bombardment, and had so much suffered for this Victory. The News of the Capitulation came to the Town the same Night it was made, about One in the Mor­ning; when every Body, without staying for the Day, imme­diately got up, and made Bonfires out of the very Ruins of their Houses, crying, God save the King of England, and the Elector of Bavaria. The Joy was Universal all over the Countrey, and they had Extraordinary Solemnities in Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges, and all the considerable Towns, with Fire-works, Fea­sting and Rejoycing. The 2d. the Elector of Bavaria came from Brussels to the Camp at Hal [...]e.

The 3d. His Majesty being shortly to leave the Army to go to Loo, Review'd it this Day, drawn up in Two Lines, the Duke of Holstein Ploen Saluting at the Head of it, and all the General Officers in their several Posts. The King rid round every Squadron and Battallion, though it was very foul Wea­ther, which had continued almost dayly, since the Capitulation of Namur. The French King having order'd the Marechal of Boufflers to pass his word of Honour for the Garrisons of Dix­muyde and Deinse (who were now better treated than before the taking of Namur) a Gentleman sent express to the Camp from the Marechal, was dispatched this day with a Pass for his Liberty to return to the French Court upon his Promise, That the said Garrison should be sent back forthwith. When the Dutchess of Bavaria pass'd through Maestricht in her way to Aix la Chapelle, the Marechal of Boufflers went to wait upon her High­ness: And now having his Liberty, he left Maestricht the 5th, being highly satisfied of his Treatment, and of the Honour and Respect that he met with here, and so went on by Huy to Dinant, and from thence to Court, where he Arriv'd the 11th. The Ma­rechal [Page 176] was Escorted from Maestricht to the French Frontier, by a Captain of Dragoons, to whom he gave a Rich Sword for a Present, and other Presents to the rest of the Officers, besides a Louis d' Or to every Dragoon of the Detachment: In his way going to Dinant he met with the Brevet, by which he was Created Duke and Peer of France, as a Mark of the French Kings satisfaction of his Conduct in this Siege The Count de [...]uis [...]ard was at the same time promis'd the Order of the Holy Ghost in the first promotion. Monsieur de Megrigny Ingenier, and Major-General was made Lieutenant General and the Bri­gadiers Laumont, Quelus, St. Laurens and L' Abadie Major-Generals, and several Colonels, Brigadiers, as a Mark of his Favour, and that he was sensible they had done their Duty in this Siege.

The Armies having now done on both sides all that could be expected this Campagne, His Majesty left the Field the 4th. in order to go to Loo, to divert himself in Hunting, after the Fa­tigues of the Campagne, and went this day as far as Malines. Prince Vaudemont waited upon the King at Vilvorde, half way between Brussels and Malines. From Malines His Majesty went to Breda the next day, and arriv'd at Loo the 10th. The King having now left the Field, I shall hasten to bring both Armies to their Winter Quarters. The 5th. part of the Dutch Cavalry to be Quarter'd in Guelderland and Towns upon the M [...]use, were sent from the Camp to Cantoon that way, and the Brigades of Boncou [...]t and Schack, which were to Quarter at Bruges, march'd near Ghent to Incamp there, for the better conveniency of Forage. The 6th. the Regiment of Slaben [...]orf was sent to Garrison in H [...]y to relieve that of Oxensterne to be sent to Brussels. The 8th. being appointed for a Solemn Thanksgiving-day for the taking of Namur in His Majesties Forces in the Camp, as it was Ap­pointed to be kept at the same time by the Lords Justices of England, in London, Westminster, &c. The same was observ'd accordingly, with Prayers and Sermons suitable to the occasion; the first Compos'd by Dr. Willis, Chaplain-General, to supply our want of the Form set out for that purpose by Authority in England. The 9th. we still continued Incamp'd at Halle, though [...]age was scarce, the Ways being not only very bad by rea­son [Page 177] of the foul Weather, and consequently difficult for our Ar­tillery, but also because Namur was not yet in such a condition of defence as to venture the Enemies between the Sambre and our Army, who were still incampt in the Plains of Cambron, to ruine all the Forage and Countrey about Aeth; but that Gar­rison was very troublesom to them in this Camp, sending out dayly Parties to take their Horses, and to make Prisoners; in which they had such success, that before the French had left this Camp, they had got above 500 Horses from them; and Count Nassau himself, one of the Major Generals upon their Left Wing of Horse narrowly escap'd falling into the hands of one of these Parties, who fell one Night upon his Quarter; he was in Bed, and made his Escape in his Shirt, but the best of his Baggage was lost.

The 11th. The Marechal de Villeroy march'd upon the Right from Cambron and Chievres to Leuze, where the Army had Or­ders to Hurt, i.e. to make Straw Barracks instead of Tents. The Duke of Chartres, with most of the Princes of the Blood left the Army here to repair to Court. The 12th. our Army marched from Halle upon the right to St. Quintin Linneck, where we In­camp'd with our Right near Ternath, and our left a little beyond St. Quintin Linneck towards Halle; The Elector had his Quarter at Esringen, the Duke of Holstein, Ploen at St. Quintin. The 13th. our Army had orders to Hutt the Ways were very bad and difficult to fetch Straw. The 14th. Prince Vaudemont came from Brussels to the Camp to wait upon the Elector; The 15th. the Duke of Wirtemberg, and Count Nassau Lieutenant-General went to Brussels to wait upon Prince Vaudemont to receive his Orders for our Army before he went to Loo, where the Prince was to go the next day to concert with His Majesty the business about Winter-Quarters, and to be pre­sent at a Conference with the Elector of Brandenburgh about the Operations of the next Campagn; But the Duke of Wir­temberg and Count Nassau missed very narrowly falling into the hands of a French Party that had crept between Halle and Brussels, in their return to the Camp; Count Nassaus two Aide de Camps were made Prisoners just behind him, and carried to Charleroy: These were not the only Gentlemen that had the mis­fortune to fall into their hands: Their Little Sculking Parties were very troublesom between the Camp and Brussels, having [Page 178] the way open to get between our Camp and this Town by Halle; if they came in great Parties they were more apt to be disco­vered, for which reason they came but few together; and if they met with Parties of Strangers to the Countrey, as English, Germans, &c. they would pretend themselves to be Walloons in the King of Spains Service. The 17th. Captains Hamilton and Hemsly of Colonel Seymour's Regiment, with the Surgeon fell into the hands of one of these little Parties, they en­deavour'd to resist, Captain Hemsly had a dangerous Wound upon his left Wrist, and they were all Three made Prisoners, but the Party left Captain Hemsly wounded at Halle, upon the promise of the other two to see his Ransom paid.

The Breaches of the Town and Castle of Namur being now considerably repair'd, and the French Line upon the Hill between the Sambre and the Meuse produc'd down to the Sambre, besides some Works began to defend the passages of this River, between the Line and the Castle, and others to defend the side of the Cohorne against the Town, that it may not for the future be attack'd the same way we reduc'd this strong place; this I say being now the Condition of Namur, the Hesse and Lunenbourgh Troops De­camp'd from the Mehaigne to march by the Meuse (which they passed between Liege and Maestricht) to Germany▪ And the Bran­denbourg Forces Canton'd in the Neighbourhood of Liege, ex­pecting to go into their Winter Quarters (as formerly) at Liege, Aix la Chapelle &c. Upon our coming to the Camp at S. Quintin Linneck, the Spanish and Bavarian Cavalry was likewise sent to Canton along the Dendre between Alost and Dendermond: And the Weather having been very bad now, and most part of the Summer, and Forrage scarce, and the Troops very much fa­tigu'd, and no fear of any Enterprize from the Enemies, this made our Army separate very early to go into Quarters. The 19th. our heavy Artillery consisting of Thirty Pieces of Canon, began to march to Winter-Quarters at Ghent, being escorted by the Regiments of Colonel Frederick Hamilton and Cinqvilles. The 20th. My Lord of Athlone, General of the Dutch Horse, Reviewed all the Cavalry here in the States Service. The 21th. The Life-Guards and Horse-Granadiers were ordered to their Winter-Quarters, the first to Breda, and the last to Boisleduc. [Page 179] The 23th. the Dutch Artillery march'd to Malines its usual Winter Quarter, under the Convoy of the Regiments of Seymour and Collingwood to be quarter'd there, and some Dutch Regi­ments going to the Frontiers of Holland. Colonel Collingwood's Regiment afterwards was sent to Ghent, and Colonel Trelaw­nyes to Malines, where it had been formerly. This day the Ele­ctor had notice that the French Army had broke up the day be­fore, not to go yet into Quarters, but to Canton in the Villages between the A little River which falls into the Scheld at Escana [...]e. Ronne and the Scheld, Villeroy having his Quarter at Cordes; upon which the Garrisons of Ghendt and Bruges, Ostend, Camerlings Ambacht, and Canal of Bruges march'd the 24. towards their respective Winter-Quarters, with the remainder of the English Train of Artillery and Foot, under the Command of the Duke of Wirtemberg, Count Nassau, &c. the Horse un­der the Command of Monsieur d' Auverquerque: We incamp'd this day upon the Dender (which we passed at Alost) at Arenbo­deghem. The 25th. at Mallem near Ghent, where the Artillery and Garrison began to march into Quarters the next day. The Garrisons of Bruges, Ostend, &c. march'd on under the Com­mand of Major General Ramsay to their Winter-Quarters; as the Ten Battallions of Foot, and Two of Dragoons Incamp'd at Bellem upon this Canal, had done some days before: Sir Henry Bellasis, who Commanded them, went to the Hague to receive His Majesties Instructions about the Tryal of the Officers con­cern'd in the Capitulations of Dixmuyde and Deinse, being ap­pointed President of the High Court Marshal to try them: For about this time the foresaid Garrisons were set at liberty by the French Kings Order, and come to Ghendt, but the Officers Com­manding the respective Regiments of these Garrisons were ei­ther Confin'd in Ghent, or sent Prisoners to the Sas van Ghendt, Major-General Ellembergh Governour of Dixmuyde was among the last. These Garrisons were sent back with the usual Fide­lity of the French, they still retain'd those, whom by their ill usage and infraction of the Cartel and Capitulation, they had forc'd to take on in their Service. 'Tis true, as 'tis said that they publisht by Beat of Drum in several of their Frontier Garrisons, that those who had so been Listed among them had liberty to re­turn, but they took care that none of the Parties concern'd [Page 180] should have any benefit by it; however many of these forc'd Soldiers have deserted back to us this Summer, as English, Scots, and Danes, and do Desert dayly. The 26th. the Elector left the Army at St. Quintin Linneck to go to Brussels, and the 27th. the Duke of Holstein Ploen, and the rest of the Army here sepa­rated into Winter Quarters. The same day His Majesty came from Loo to the Hague with Prince Vaudemont; and the 28th the Elector of Brandenbourgh; who had been retarded at Cleves by some extraordinay Business, and so could not come to Loo. The State of our Army in Flanders was resolv'd upon here for the next Campagne, and to Augment considerably our Forces, whereby (notwithstanding the great preparations of the Enemies, and their new Levyes) we may still be proportionably Superiour to them in the Field, and pursue that Success which it has pleased God to give us the last Summer over our Enemies, to ad­vance the great and necessary work of asserting our Liberties, and the Liberties of all Christendom, the only end of our Just and Righteous Cause, and thereupon to ground a firm, lasting, and happy Peace, which, (if we maintain that Power over our Ene­mies it has pleas'd God to give us the last Campagne) we need not doubt of effecting very speedily. One thing is certain, That if the Allies Money holds out as long as that of the French Kings, (as 'tis very reasonable to think it should) his Forces must fail be­fore ours; for he has only France and his Conquests, with part of Switzerland to recruit his Forces, and to make new Levyes, but the Allies have all the rest of Christendom for an Inexhausti­ble Supply to make up their Armies. The King having spent some days in Conferences with the Elector of Brandenbourgh and States-General concerning this Important Work, Sailed the 9th. for England, where His Majesty Arriv'd the 10th at Margate, and lay that Night at Canterbury, and so His Majesty came the next day to Kensington, being every where receiv'd by His good and loving Subjects with all the demonstration of the greatest Joy imaginable for the preservation of His Sacred Person, amidst all the Dangers to which the King has expos'd Himself, and for the great Success of his Arms during the Campagne, which next under God, is due to His Majesty.

[Page 181] Though our Armies were separated into Winter-Quarters, Octob. yet the Enemies still continued to Canton up and down the Coun­trey near their Lines, to cover their new Works here, and at Courtray. The First of October the French Army (Quarter'd along the Ronne) passed the Scheld, and canton'd along their Lines between the Lys and the Scheld; and the 2d. they passed the Lys by Courtray to Canton between the Lys and the Mandel, where they continued till about the 18th. of October, that the Merechal de Villeroy went to Court, and the Army into Quarters; but upon their passage of the Lys to Canton along the River Mandel, they made a Detachment of all their Forces design'd to quarter near the Sea to form a Body near Furnes, which gave us some Jea­lousie for Newport; and upon this Motion, the Duke of Wir­temberg drew out 125 Men out of every Regiment of Foot of our Forces, besides the Regiments of Fairfax Danish Guards, and Packmore intire, which made a Body of about Ten Thousand Men, and Incamp'd, with a small Train of Artillery sent from Ghent for that purpose, upon the Sandhills near Newport, for the safety of that place. But it does not appear that the Enemies had any other design, than to make some new Works about Furnes and Kenoque, which the Marechal de Villeroy came to view, and the Fortifications of Dunkirk, before his going to Court. The Weather was extraordinary fair and favourable, more than is usual at this time of the Year, which I suppose kept the Enemies out so much the longer. The 22th. the Duke of Wirtemberg with the Detachment under his Command returned from the Neighbourhood of Newport back into Winter-Quar­ters, after the Enemies had separated on their side.

Sir Henry Bellasis having receiv'd His Majesties Instructions at the Hague, came to Ghent the beginning of October, to be President of the Council of War appointed for the Tryal of the Commanding Officers in the Garrisons of Dixmuyde and Deinse, which sat at the Golden Apple a great Inne in Ghent where all the said Officers were brought and detain'd Prisoners. The Council of War began to sit the 9th. Composed of Sir Henry Bellasiss Lieutenant-General and President, Major-Generals Meloniere, Ramsay and Eppinger; [...]rigadiers, Fitz-Patrick, Anhalt, and Haxhausen; Colonels Fairfax, Collingwood, Schoor, Erff, [Page 182] Arents and Bernstorf. The Court sat till the 25th. that they came to Sentence after a full hearing on both sides, which Sir Henry Bellasis brought over to be approv'd of by His Majesty, which was done without any alterations. Exe­cuted at Ghent, Nov. 20. Major-General Ellembergh Governour of Dixmuyde was Condemned to be Beheaded, and his Goods Confiscated; some Colonels were Broke and render'd incapable of Serving the King, others depriv'd of their Regi­ments without any such clause, others Suspended, and others acquitted with Honour. The Sentence (I suppose) will be Pub­lished, and I need not swell this Account of the Campagne to a greater Bulk, to give a particular Relation of it.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo, in Terris Pax.

List of the Forces in the Line of Circumvallation at the Siege A of Namur.
Before the Town the King, the Duke of Holstein Ploen, Earl of Portland, and the D. of Ormond Lieutenant-Generals of Horse.

Infantry in the Kings Pay be­fore the Town, Count Nassau, Lieutenant-Gene­ral, Major-General Ram­say. Brigadiers, Lord Cutts, Fitzpatrick, Selwyn, and L. George Hamilton.
  • Battal.
  • English
  • Guards.
    • First Regiment 2
    • Second Regiment 1
  • Dutch-Guards 1
  • Scots-Guards 1
  • Royal 1
  • Selwyn 1
  • Trelawney 1
  • Seymour 1
  • Columbine 1
  • Fusiliers 1
  • Tidcomb 1
  • Stanley 1
  • Collingwood 1
  • Lauder 1
  • Ingoldesby 1
  • Saunderson 1
  • Maitland 1
  • Nassau 1
  • Battallions 19
  • English Squadrons, 3 Dutch 37-40.

In all before the Town 45 Battallions.

Dutch Infantry before the Town, Lieut. General Tettau. Major-Generals, Fagel, Salisch, Lindeboom, and Heukelom. Brigadiers, Holstein Norbourg, Frisheim and Heyden.
  • Battal.
  • Tettau 1
  • Weed 1
  • Salisch 1
  • Lindeboom 1
  • Dumont 1
  • Ameliswert 1
  • Frisheim 1
  • Oxenstern 1
  • Braha 1
  • Capol 2
  • Marquet 1
  • Wolfembuttel 1
  • Hasfert 1
  • La Mothe 1
  • Holstein Norburg 1
  • Fagel 1
  • Spar 1
  • Carle 1
  • Gohr 1
  • Harscholt 1
  • Lottum 1
  • Essen 1
  • Arents 1
  • Heukelom 1
  • Holstein Ploen 1
  • Battallions 26
In the Line of Circumvalla­tion between the Sambre and the Meuse, the Elector with the Spanish and Ba­varian Generals. Prince Cerclas of Tilly. Major-Ge­nerals Cohorne and Suerin. Brigadier Dedem, &c.
  • [Page 184]Battallions
  • Ravarian Foot 4
  • Brandenbourgh Foot 8
  • Dutch
    • Nassau Friesland 2
    • Cohorne 1
    • Dedem 1
    • Obergen 1
    • Stockhausen 1
    • Altholstein 1
    • Heckeren 1
    • Knoring 1
    • Margrave Lodowick 1
    • Swerin 3
  • Battallions 25
  • Spanish and Bavarian Cavalry, Squadrons 20
In the Line of Circumvalla­tion, between the two Meuses, (i e.) on the Con­dros-side before the Faux­bourg de Jambe, Velt-Ma­rechal Fleming. Lieutenant General Hyden: Major-Generals, Arnheim and La Cave. Count de Berlo, Major-General of the Liege Horse.
  • Battallions
  • Brandenbourgh 10
  • Brandenbourgh & Liege
  • Cavalry, 60 Squadr.
    • 60
  • Battal. in all in this Siege 80
  • Squadrons 120

A Particular List of the Brandenbourgh Foot concerned in the Siege of Namur.

  • Battallions.
  • Guards 3
  • Lottum 1
  • Slabendorf 1
  • Prince Philip 1
  • Anhalt 1
  • Huet 1
  • Electoral Prince 1
  • Prince Christian Lodowick 1
  • D'orfling 1
  • Barfus 1
  • Dohnhoff 1
  • Heyden 1
  • Dona 1
  • Brand 1
  • Horne 1
  • Young Heyden 1
  • Battallions—18

A List of the Forces come from the Rhine, Commanded by the Landtgrave of Hesse, and under His Highness by the Count de la Lippe.

Cavalry, Major-General Spiegel.
  • Squadrons
  • Hanover Noyelles 3
  • Hesse
    • Regiments of Life-Guards 3
    • Lippe 3
    • Spiegel 4
Dragoons.
  • Zell Bottmer 2
  • Hanover Aremberg 1
  • Hesse
    • The Prince 3
    • Tettau 3
    • Squadrons 22
  • Infantry, Major-General Goerts.
  • Battallions
  • Hanover
    • Hanover Guards 1
    • Velt-Marechal Padewits 1
  • Zell Holstein, alias Bulaw 1
  • Hesse
    • Guards 1
    • Prince William 1
    • Goerts 1
    • Sames 1
    • Union Regiment 1
    • Circle of the Upper Rhine 1
    • Hesse Darmstadt 1
    • Battallions 10

List of the Winter-Quarters for the Year, 1695.

GHENDT, The Three Battallions of English Guards, Chur­chil, Fuziliers, Collingwood Frederick Hamilton, Nassau, Packmoer, Six Battallions of Danes, Train of Artillery.

BRƲGES, Scots Guards, Royal, Fairfax, Columbine, Bridges, Graham (the Colonel depriv'd by the Court Marshal, the King has given this Regiment to Colonel Walter Collier, Brother to Sir David Collier, and Capt. Commandant of one of the Dutch Bat­tallions of Guards:) Offerrel (The King has given this Regiment to Colonel Robert Mackay, Colonel of a Regiment in Scotland, which His Majesty has bestow'd upon Colonel Macgill, that Commanded the first Battallion of Scots Guards in the Siege of Namur) Ingoldsby, Saunderson, and Buchan.

MALINES, Selwyn, Trelawny, Seymour, and Brewer.

NAMƲR, Collier, Ferguson, Marton, one of Danes, Hulsen.

DENDERMOND, Stanley, Erle,

OSTEND, Lauder, Mackay, Tiffeny.

NEWPORT, Colonel George Hamilton.

DAMME, Lesley, (The Colonel depriv'd by the Court Marshall, His Majesty has given the Regiment to Colonel How, Captain in the first Regiment of Guards) Lorne

ANDENARDE, Wolfembu [...]tel, Hering.

LIER, Hanover- Guards, St Paul.

In the Villages between the Canal of Brussels and Malines, Dutch-Guards.

In the Camerlings Ambacht, Granvill [...], Strathnaver, Belcas­ [...]el, Cinqvilles.

Along the Canal of Bruges, Tidcomb, Maitland, La Meloniere and one of Danes.

BREDA. Auer. The Colonel has likewise been broke by the Court-Marshal, but I have not yet heard who has the Regiment.

All the English Cavalry and Danish is at Ghendt.

The English Life-Guards at Breda.

Dutch Life-Guards, and my Lord Portland's Regiment of Horse at the Hague.

Horse-Granadiers at Boisleduc.

[Page 187] Dutch Horse upon English Pay, at Bruges, except Tennagel at St. Gertruydenberg and Montpouillan in some Villages near Malines.

The Dragoons are quarter'd in the Villages between Ghendt and Sas Van Ghendt, except the Dragoons of Ross, in the Villa­ges between Bruges and Damme. The Queens Dragoons Com­manded by Colonel Lloyd upon the Canal of Sluys, and those of Cunningham upon the Canal of Ostend, in the Pays de Nort.

This is the Repartition of His Majesties Forces.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAge 8. lin. prim. and has, Read, and as he has. Page 11. lin. 7. Arsoil. r. Arseel. In the List of the French Army, instead of Montmorency, Luxembourg, r. Montmorency-Luxembourg. p. 31. l. 13. last March. r. last March. 15. Lieutenant, Colonel r. a Lieutenant-Colonel. p. 39. l. 25. St. Hamines, r. St. Hermines. pag. 51. l. 14. Wirk, r. Winck. p. 62. l. 9. of the Tower, r. of the Town. p. 64. l. 34. Amstin, r. Austin. p. 79. l. 18. sent for their Prison, r. sent, for their Prison, p. 85. l. 4. possible, r. possibly. p. 86. l. antepen. pisputed, r. dispu­ted. p. 87. l. Antepen. to be he killed, dele he. p. 102, &c. After we had possession of this Gate, we began to draw off our Batteries, and the Day following in the Morning the Garrison in the Redoubts of St. Fiacre, St. Anthony, and Piednoir; The Two first upon, &c. read thus: Af [...]er we had possession of the Gate we began to draw off our Batteries; And the day following, the Gar­rison of the Redoubts of St. Fiacre, St. Anthony, and Piednoir march'd out to joyn that of Namur to Retire together into the Castle; the two first upon the Hill▪ &c. pag. 118. l. 36. so far the Bombarding, r. so far that the Bombar­ling, p. 128. l. 31. stock'd, r. flank'd. l. 35. Balé, r. Bulé. p. 136. l. 36. Marquet, r. the Margrave. p 143. l. 33. began to wait, r. began to want. p 146. l. 16. at the same a time Colonel, r. at the same time, a Colonel, p. 167. l. 13. nearest, r. nearer.

Omitted, p. 82. l. 1. Commanders, r. Camarades. l. 6. any that, r. any thing that.

ADVERTISEMENT.

1 MR. Falle's Account of the Isle of JERSEY, Dedicated to the KING, 8vo.

2 MR. Falle's Sermon before the English Garrison in Jersey, April 10. 1692.

3 MR. Falle 's Sermon at Whitehall, Decemb. 30. 1694.

4 MR. Falle's Sermon before the Lord Mayor, April 21. 1695▪

5 A Charge given at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County of Surrey, holden at Darking, on Tues­day the 5th. of April, 1692. and in the Fourth Year of Their Majesties Reign By the Honourable H. Hare, Esq One of Their Majesties Justices of the Peace for that County. The Se­cond Edition, Corrected.

6 A Discourse of Natural and Reveal'd Religion in several Essays, By Mr. T. Nourse.

7 The Anatomy of the Earth, Dedicated to all Gentlemen Miners. By Tho. Robinson▪ Rector of Crosby in Cumberland.

8 A Letter to Dr. South.

All these Printed for John Newton, at the Three Pigeons in Fleet-street.

1 A Guide to the Devout Christian, in Three Parts▪ Price [...]

2 A Guide to Repentance▪ Or, The Character and Beha­viour of the Devout Christian in Retirement. By John Ine [...]t, M. A. Chanter of the Cathedral Church of Lincoln. Price 1 s.

3 Bethel's Interest of Princes. 2 s. 6 d.

4 Worlidge 's Two Treatises. 2 s. 6 d.

5 Sir Francis Moor's Reports

6 Geofrey Palmers Reports.

7 Mr. Flavel 's Englands Duty. 4 s.

8 Mr. Flavel's of Baptisme, against Car [...]y. 1 s.

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