Capitulation of the Castle of NAMUR, June 20/30, 1692.
Articles propos'd by the Prince of Brabançon, in behalf of the Garrison and Inhabitants.

I. THat His Most Christian Majesty shall maintain the Burgers and Inhabitants in all their Pri­viledges.

II. That the Prince of Brabançon shall have twenty four hours time, to let the Elector of Bavaria know the State of the place; after which time, if he is not reliev'd, he shall deliver one of the principal Ports to the King's Troops.

III. That he shall have two days time to put the Gar­rison in a readiness to evacuate the place.

IV. That the Garrison compos'd of Walloons, Spani­ards, and Brandenburgers, shall leave the place, the Infantry to march out of the Breach, Drums beating, &c. and to be conducted the nearest way to Louvain, under a sufficient Escorte, to secure them from all Insultations and Hostilities.

V. That the Garrison shall have granted them a suffi­cient Number of Waggons, of six Horses each, for the carrying away their Baggage, Effects, and all other E­quipage.

VI. That those Effects shall not be visited, particu­larly three cover'd Waggons, in which the Governor shall send out what he thinks convenient, with all security.

[Page 23] VII. That the Intendant, Treasurer, and the rest of the King's Officers, shall be compriz'd in this Captia­lation.

VIII. That the Officers and Soldiers of the Garrison, shall have the liberty to retake what they left in the Town, when they surrender'd it, to retire in the Castle.

IX. That the Garrison going, shall not be oblig'd to the Payment of any Debts, and that they shall have leave to buy in the Town what they shall want.

X. That the sick and wounded as shall not be able to go to Louvain, shall remain in the Hospitals of the Town, and shall be nourish'd and lookt after, at His Most Chri­stian Majesty's Expences, and after they are recover'd, they shall have Passes granted them to retire where they shall think fit.

XI. That the Garrison shall march out with Six Pieces of Cannon, and Four Mortars, with all things necessary to carry them to Louvain, besides powder and Ball for Six Shots.

XII. That all Persons whatever, without any excepti­on or distinction of the Dependencies of Namur, as shall be willing to leave the place, that they shall have liberty to go where they please, with their Goods and Effects.

XIII. That the Prisoners made on both sides during the Siege, shall be releas'd without any Ransom.

And as for Major-General Wymberg, commanding the Dutch Troops, as made part of the Garrison.

XIV. That His Most Christian Majesty shall allow thrity Barks, or other Vessels, with a good Convoy, to conduct safely the Officers and Soldiers in the States Ser­vice, with all their Effects, by the Maes to Liege.

XV. That he shall have Four Pieces of Canon, and as many Mortars, &c. as in the 11th Article.

ARTICLES granted by the French King.

I. GRanted.

II. That the Governor shall have but Six Hours time to regulate his Capitulation: and that for this ef­fect, he shall deliver to His Majesty's Troops, one of the Stairs of the Dungeon, and the right of the Court, the rest remaining for the Garrison.

III. That the Governour shall be oblig'd to evacuate the place the first of July, at Three in the Afternoon, and that then the Castle shall be deliver'd in His Maje­sty's Hands.

IV. That the Garrison, made up of Spaniards, &c. shall march out of the Breach, Drums beating, &c. the Horse to go through the Town, and that they shall be conducted in four Days to Louvain; upon Condition, that they shall not serve in the Allies Army in three weeks time; that they shall have Ammunitions, and other Ne­cessaries for their Subsistence given them by the King, till they come to His Catholick Majesty's Territories.

V. Granted: And because His Majesty has not Wag­gons enough at present, they shall have them in a Fort­night's time, viz. three Waggons with four Horses per Battalion, and one for the Field Officers.

VI. Allowed; and since these Waggons are not yet ready, the Effects of the Garrison shall be put in such pla­ces of the Hospitals, or Monasteries, as His Catholick Majesty's Intendant shall find convenient, there to be kept, and till then, with all safety, and that His Most Christian Majesty's Troops shall not touch them.

[Page 25] VII. That the said Officers shall remain Hostages, till the Inhabitants of Namur, and Dependencies, shall be reimburs'd of all those Sums, as they have advanc'd for his Catholick Majesty's Ʋse.

VIII. Thô His Majesty had declar'd all such Effects for­feited, as the Officers and Soldiers who withdrew into the Castle had left in the Town, nevertheless he is willing they should have them again without impediment, upon condi­tion, that neither they nor their Wives or Children shall have liberty to remain in the Town.

IX. Granted: That they shall have leave to buy in the Town, &c. but that six Officers per Battalion shall remain Hostages for the payment of their Soldiers Debts.

X. Granted: And that His Majesty's Officers shall not force them (after they are recover'd) to quit the Service of the Allies.

XI. That they shall have but four Pieces of Cannon with the King of Spain's Arms, and two Mortars, &c. in ten days, to be conducted to Louvain, and Powder and Ball for six Shots.

XII. That for fifteen days time, every Body, without distinction, shall have leave to withdraw themselves with their Effects: and what they shall not be able to sell with­in that time, to be forfeited to the King; the other Inha­bitants that are absent shall be recall'd.

XIII. Granted: Except those who are the King's Sub­jects, who shall be retain'd.

XIV. Refus'd: And 'tis His Majesty's Pleasure, That the said Wymberg, with the Dutch Infantry under his Command, shall march out of the Breach, Drums beat­ing, &c. with the rest of the Garrison, to Louvain, that their Effects shall likewise be kept safely in such place as they shall desire till Waggons can be provided.

[Page 26] XV. That they shall have but Two Pieces of Canon with the States Arms, if such can be found, to be carri­ed to Louvain. Other Demands to be regulated accord­ing to these Articles.

Given at the King's Camp before Na­mur, the 30th of June, about Noon.

Thus the French King became the quiet Possessor of Namur, covering by this means his Conquests with the Meuse and the Sambre, and securing all that he hath between them from the Incursions of the Enemy, which before were very much molested by the Garri­son of Namur. By this Conquest Brussels is left open to the Enemy, and Charleroy as good as block'd up between Namur and Mons, and the Winter Quarters the French have settled at Fleury and Gemblours, which cuts all Communication between it and Brussels. This indeed seems to be one of the greatest Actions that the French King hath ever done, to take this, which was reckon'd the strongest place in the Spanish Nether­lands, and a Man may say, the very Key of it; a place which had been never taken before, Vide du Maurier in the Life of Willi­am I. unless we reckon it taken when surpriz'd by Don John of Austria, who pretending to visit the Queen of Navarre as she pass'd through this place, going to the Baths of Aix la Chapelle, Prince of Orange. wrested this place by surprize out of the Hands of the States of the Seventeen Provinces, con­trary to the Pacification of Ghendt, and the perpetual Edict, which renew'd the Wars of Flanders; and not only that the French King should take this Strong Place, but in the Presence of the best and finest Army that the Confederates have ever had in the Field, which, as the French devise upon the Medals stamp'd [Page 27] for this occasion, serv'd only as a Witness of the French King's Victories.

But if we consider the Complication of Misfortunes that prevented our Attempts to raise this Siege, the Action will not appear so great; as, the Deluge of Rains that overflow'd the River Mehaigne, just when we came to it; the Surrender of the Town during those Storms, which made us absolutely uncapable of relieving the Castle, without defeating Luxembourg first, who, though he was more numerous before, yet his Army encreas'd now to a far more considerable Number, by the Junction of those Troops, which were employ'd in the Siege of the Town; and with­out Besieging and taking the Town afterwards, or ha­zarding our Army, the other side of the Sambre, in the Defilés of the Bois de Marlagne, between the French King and Luxembourg's Armies; in which case we must have beaten both, or been ruined our selves: So that the Surrender of the Town may be reckon'd the Fundamental Misfortune, which occasion'd the Loss of the Castle, which was then in a manner in­vested by its own Scituation between the Sambre and the Meuse, leaving but very short Lines of Circumval­lation for the French King to keep. Let us likewise consider the weak Defence of the Castle, after the Loss of William's Fort and the Devil's House, yielding when there was scarce a Breach in the first Envelope of it; and therefore in almost as good Condition as it was in the beginning of this War, before the build­ing of William's Fort.

It is certainly a very surprizing and wonderful thing, that a place of such Importance, in which, as several Walloon Officers say, there was to be a con­stant Magazine of Ammunitions and Provisions for [Page 28] Ten Months for 8 or 9000 Men, should now be forc'd to yield, after a Fortnight or three Weeks Siege, for want of it; and particularly, when before the surrendring of the Town, 'twas in their power to com­mand as much Provisions from the Town, for the sub­sistence of the Castle, as they thought fit themselves. This is too plain an Argument of a wilful Negligence; for though there was no probability of relieving the Castle, after they had surrendred the Town, yet we could expect, that they would make the more vigorous Defence for it in the Castle, as 'twas pretended, when they yielded the Town to the Enemy: And neverthe­less we find it surrendred, when the Body of the place remain'd entire, hardly a Breach being made in the outermost Work of the Three. The Besieged say, that their greatest Want was Water, which the Enemy spoil'd by the Directions of the Baron de Berse to level their Bombs to the Well. It is likewise reported, that the Dissentions between the Spanish and Auxiliary Troops did not a little contribute to forward the Sur­render of the place.

Whatever the Prince of Brabançon the Governour might have to justifie his Conduct in this Siege, yet since he lies under Confiement in the Cittadel of Antwerp, till the Court of Spain be inform'd of the matter. Yet 'tis thought, that though he were guilty, yet being of the House of Aremberg, one of the most considerable of the Low Countries, and Ally'd with most of the Grandees of Spain; and besides, being Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which ex­empts him from all other Judicatures in Criminal Ca­ses, but that of his Knights Companions of the Or­der, with whom he hath very much Interest, by rea­son of his great Alliances: (I say) that for these Rea­sons [Page 29] 'tis thought he will very soon be restor'd to his Liberty.

It hath been reported by some, who pretend to understand the Affairs of the Court of Brussels, that the King had desir'd the Elector of Bavaria to with­draw this Prince of Brabançon from his Government of Namur, acquainting the Elector at the same time with the Reasons his Majesty had to suspect his Con­duct; and that this might be done without disobliging the Prince, who is so considerable both in this Country and Spain, by reason of the great Alliances of his Fa­mily, it was agreed, That the Prince should be desir'd to make the Campaign with the Elector. And this went on so far, that the Prince was at Brussels in order to accompany the Elector in the Field; but the French threatning to set down before Namur before the open­ing of the Campaign on our side, the Elector could not refuse his going to his Government when the Prince desired it, lest he should discover the Mistrust he had of him. However, at the same time the Duke of Ba­varia order'd the Count de Thian, Major-General of the Spanish Forces, to accompany him in this Siege, giving him some particular Instructions.

We made a very strong Detachment, June 22./July 2. which consist­ed of Captain, Lieutenant and Ensign, and Sixty Men of every Battalion in the Army, which were then about a Hundred, and a proportionable Number of Horse, their pretended business being to cover our Fo­ragers the next day; but the real, to endeavour to surprize Mons, of which we had some Hopes, by the Intelligence we had amongst many of the considera­ble Inhabitants, who being still Spaniards in their Hearts, long'd to be deliver'd from the French Yoke, and who inform'd, that the Garrison was weak, and [Page 30] most of them Swissers, who would be as willing as they to joyn in the business. Therefore as soon as our Foragers were returned the next Day, Scaling-Lad­ders, Provisions, and other necessary Materials were sent, with a Re-inforcement, to Prince Wirtemberg, who commanded this Detachment: A Serjeant of Fa­gel's Regiment, who had been in Mons when it was besieged, being to shew the way, and the Attempt to be made upon a Breach, as the French had not repair'd since they took Mons. According to these Directions Prince Wirtemberg march'd the 23 d all Night, and came about One of the Clock in the Morning, the 24 th, within an Hour of Mons, where having made an Halt, he sent for Sir Robert Douglas and Collonel Farrel, who commanded the English, to come and speak with him; but as they went back, it being very dark, they went a little too much upon the Right, and fell amongst a Party of Horse of the Garrison of Mons, who made them Prisoners, and carry'd them away with all speed to their Garrison; for they confes­sed themselves as much surpriz'd as the Prisoners them­selves, to be even within our Out-guards. Captain Francis Sterling, who accompany'd Sir Robert Douglas as a Voluntier in this Action, was of the number of the Prisoners. The Count de Vortillac Governour of Mons, being inform'd of our Design the Over-night, had sent out but an hour before this Detachment of Horse, under the Command of a Captain, to hear News of us, he himself sitting up all Night to be rea­dy, in case of an Attack. But Prince Wirtemberg hearing that the Marquess de la Vallette was hard by the Town, with a strong Detachment of Fifty two Squadrons of Horse, return'd back the Twenty Fourth to the Army.

[Page 31] The French upon our March to Mellé, in case we should have a Design upon Mons, had order'd this De­tachment to go towards it, and to receive Orders from the Count de Vertillac Governour of Mons, when he should have occasion for them; who accordingly, up­on the first Notice of our Design, sent an Express to the Marquess de la Vallette, to require him to come to his Assistance; who made no delay, but came im­mediately, and arriv'd at Mons as soon as Sir Robert Douglas himself; and the Party that made him Pri­soner and they came to Town between Three and Four in the Morning.

Sir Robert Douglas and the other two Prisoners being come to Mons, were treated with a great deal of Civility, the Governour coming himself to give them a Visit, and took them afterwards with him in his Coach to Dinner, after he had given them the Liber­ty both of their Swords and the Town; but they could not make much use of the latter, by reason they were so much taken up in the Civilities of the Governour, Intendant and Major, that they had scarce time to see it; but yet they saw enough to find, that the Garrison was not in that case as had been represented; that there was but two Swisse Companies in the place, and five or six French Regiments; that it was true, that whilst we were upon the Mehaigne, the Garrison had been weak, but re-inforc'd upon our March to Mellé.

Whilst we were in this Camp, six or seven days be­fore we left it, our heavy Baggage which we had sent to Arschot, from the Camp at Park, came to us under the Convoy of a Detachment of Horse and Dragoons, that had been sent for that purpose.

The Corps de Reserve was order'd to march to Ge­nap, June 2 [...]./July 5. to guard the Train of Artillery, which was sent [Page 32] before, because the ill Weather which continued hither­to, had made the ways so bad, that 'twas impossible for the Army and Artillery to march in the same day. The whole Army follow'd the next day, and incamp'd in the little Plains of Genap, 26./6. a very difficult, and there­fore strong Ground, by reason of the Woods that are upon the Right and Left, and the Bois de Sogne in our Rear, and the Ground itself very unequal, by reason of the many little Hills that are in some places very steep; as we had in this Camp the Bois de Sognes in our Rear, so we had the little River Dyle in our Front, which ri­sing something higher than this place, goes through Genap, and so to Louvain, and Macklen, and at length falls into the Scheld. The King had his Head-Quarter at Genap, our Right reaching to the Castle of Bromel, where the Elector had his Quarter, and was flank'd by the Corps de Reserve, which fac'd thus to the Duke of Bavaria's Quarter; the Left of the Army reaching to Boutauneuf.

At the same time as the Army march'd from Mellé to Genap, Baron Fleming with the Brandenburg Forces, and Count Cerclaes of Tilly, with those of Liege, were sent back to pass the Meuse, to cover the Paiis de Liege, which now lies quite open to the Enemy, since the ta­king of Namur; however, by the Junction of the New­bourg Troops, and those of the Elector of Cologne, which were sent to joyn Fleming, the Bishop of Liege's Coun­try hath been so far secur'd, that the French have not been able to undertake any thing in it, and that we have possess'd ourselves of all the Winter-Quarters there, by which means we shall be able to put Huy, the next Garrison upon the Meuse, in a good posture of defence, against the next Campaign.

[Page 33] This day His Majesty took a Review of the Fifteen English Battalions of the Army, June 29./July 9. in the Elector of Bava­ria's Presence; with which his Electoral Highness, as well as His Majesty, seem'd to be very well satisfied: The English Battalions were, Two of the First Regi­ment of Guards, One of the Second, Two of the Dutch Guards, Churchil's, Trelawney's, Fufileers, Bath's, Hodges's, Fitz-Patricks, Castleton's, Earl's, Cutt's, and the Prince of Hesse's; Sir Robert Douglas came like­wise to the Camp this day, having his Liberty by pay­ing his Ransom, as likewise Col. O Farrel, and Captain Sterling, having been but three days Prisoners, if Gen­tlemen can be call'd so, when they were treated with so much Civility by the Governour of Mons, and the Intendant of the place. The next day His Majesty re­view'd the Danes, and other Forreign Forces, upon the English Establishment.

This day a Detachment was order'd of ten Regiments, July 3./13. and a proportionable number of Horse, under the Com­mand of Count Horne, General of the Dutch Artillery, who march'd to Brussels, and from thence to the Pais d' Alost, and so to Ghendt, where he incamp'd for some time, just out of the Town, towards the Canal of Bruges, till we came to the Scheld; this motion was made, as is suppos'd, to secure the Forrage of this Coun­try for the latter end of the Campaigne. This day, likewise in the afternoon, His Majesty, in the Elector's Presence, review'd the Scotch Infantry, which consisted of ten Battalions, viz. Two of the Guards, two of Sir Robert Douglass's, Lieutenant-General Mackay's, Sir Charles Graham's, Col. O Farrel's, Earl of Angus's, Earl of Leven's, and Col. Lawder's, most of them appearing very strong and full.

[Page 34] After that the French King had made himself Master of the Castle of Namur, Luxemburg, who with the Ar­my under his Command, had observ'd us, to hinder our doing any thing for its Relief, pass'd the Sambre, not only to consume the Forrage there, but also because we lay between him and Mons, and therefore it was neces­sary that he should pass the Sambre, to get between Mons and us; where after he had incamp'd some time at St. Gerard, and some other place, he repass'd the Sam­bre above Charleroy, at Bussiere, and came to Soignes, not far from Mons.

We being to forrage this day, July 10./20. the French made a De­tachment from their Army to molest our Forragers, thô others say, that it was Boufflers, who with his Camp volant, was going back to repass the Sambre, to observe Fleming; whatever it was, an advanced Detachment of theirs, of about forty Men, falling unawares amongst part of our Detachment that covered the Forragers, who thereupon were all taken Prisoners; their Design was discover'd, and the Forragers were all immediately or­der'd to return home empty, most of them not having yet forrag'd; and those that had, had Orders to fling down their Trusses, to remove the quicker out of the Enemies way: Notice being given of this to His Ma­jesty, he immediately got on Horseback, and order'd the Pickquet of the whole Army to be drawn out under Arms, and to Rendezvous at the Hermitage, on the o­ther side of the River Dyle, to be ready to second our Detachment that guarded our Forragers, in case they had met with the Enemy; but nothing else happening, they return'd home. The French Parties were indeed very busie this Camp, because of the Woods that lay particularly upon our Right, where they could come and shelter themselves, so that very often we had Hor­ses [Page 35] taken by them, grazing just by our very Camp; but once we having Notice, that one of their Parties lay in a Wood, just by our Right, not far from the Elector of Bavaria's Quarters, a Detachment was made from the Corps de Reserve, to go and clear the Wood of them; 'tis very probable, that they had all been ta­ken Prisoners; for when we had discover'd them, and that we came near them, they all cry'd Quarter, but the Germans firing immediately upon them, that di­spers'd them so up and down the Wood and Thickets, that they made their escape.

The Elector of Brandenburg having removed his Court this Summer to Cleves, July 16./26. to be nearer his Forces, te give them such Orders as he thought convenient, pass'd the Meuse at Roermoade, and came as far as Vrec­klen, not far from Louvain, to conser with His Majesty upon the present State of Affairs; where His Majesty went to meet him, about the middle of this Month, be­ing guarded by a strong Escorte of Horse and Dragoons, After the Conference, the King return'd to the Camp at Genap; and the Elector went to view his Forces that were now incamp'd on the other side of the Meuse, near the River Outre, not far from Liege; and afterwards his Electoral Highness having pass'd by Maestricht, re­turn'd to Cleves.

Much about the same time, the Elector of Bavaria went to Brussels, 17./27. having a very strong Escorte all along the way, that goes thro' the Bois de Sogne to Brssuels, this Wood being generally very full of French Parties, and more particularly at this time that they expected the Duke of Bavaria's going to Brussels, to the Processi­on of the Bloody Host, where the Governors of the Spanish Netherlands are still us'd to assist. This bloody Host is kept in the great Church of Brussels, it was [Page 36] stabb'd by a Jew (as they say) in contempt of our Sa­viour, and immediately there fell from it some Drops of Blood, which remain upon the Host to this day. The Elector return'd the same day in the Evening, after the Procession, to Brussels, having (as is said) escap'd many dangerous Ambuscades in this Bois de Sognes, by his quick and speedy Riding.

This day the Army decamp'd from Genap, and made a great March, July 21./31. as far as Nostredame de Hall, having passed by Nivelle, the Abbey of Bois Seignerer Isaac, and a very bad Defile at Brain le Chateau, it rain'd al­so most part of this day, which made the ways very difficult and deep, particularly for the Rear of the Ar­my: by this long March, which lasted from Morning till Night, we assur'd ourselves of the Camp at Halle, where otherwise the French might have been before­hand with us, and thus have hinder'd (by possessing themselves of this Pass) the Subsistence of our Army in this unforrag'd Country, and afterwards in Flanders. We encamp'd this day our Right upon the Senne, our Corps de Reserve flanking it, and fronting towards Halle, and our Left extended itself as far as Brain le Chateau; we pass'd this day through the Ground that was mark'd for the Hanouer Troops to encamp that day, they march­ing up in all hast to joyn us.

The next day the Army pass'd the Senne in several Columns, 22./Aug. 1. one with the Corps de Reserve going through the Town, the others upon several Bridges of Boats, that were laid above it; the King took his Quarters at the Castle of Lembeck, and the Elector in the Town of Halle; a place famous for the Devotions made to an Image of our Lady, given about Four hundred Years since by Elizabeth Queen of Hungary, and a Daughter of the House of Flanders; which, as the Legend of it [Page 37] pretends, hath wrought abundance of Miracles, Pictures being hung all about the Church that represent them, but none of later date than the Fifteenth Century. I don't know whether 'tis because it has not that Faculty at present, or whether the Reformation has not put a stop to several of their pious Cheats. This Church is of late given and impropriated to the Jesuites, that have a very pretty little Colledge by it. The Town of Halle, when we had pass'd the Senne, and pitch'd our Camp, remain'd in the Rear of our Right Wing of Horse, where the Hanover Troops afterwards took their Post. In this Camp likewise the Infantry of the Corps de Reserve was commanded in the Body of the Army, Brigadier Churchill's and the Earl of Bath's Regiments taking their former Posts amongst the English

We were likewise joyn'd this Day in the Afternoon by the Hanover Troops, computed to be between 7 and 8000 strong, Horse and Foot, and all very fine and gallant Troops, particularly the Horse of his High­nesses Guard, of which there was two Troops, the one upon Grey, and the other upon Bay Geldings, which being very well accouter'd, and incomparably well mounted, made a very fine and martial shew. His Troop of Dragoons du Corps did almost equal his Life-Guard in fineness and goodness of Equipage, and in their Horses. The next day we were also joyn'd by two English Regiments of Horse, namely, Colonel Langston's and the Marquess de Ruvigny, now Lord Gallaway; the first of the two was afterwards (some few days after the Engagement at Steenkirk) broke in­to our other Regiments to augment their Comple­ment, the Officers being remov'd according to their Posts, into those Vacancies as were in other Regiments, [Page 38] and what remain'd being allow'd Subsistence, till they are provided for, the same way.

in the Evening Orders were given out for Six Battali­ons to be ready to march an hour before day, July 23./Aug. 2. and to pa­rade at the Head of Prince Waldeck's Regiment. The Battalions were, the Second of the first Regiment of Guards, the first of Sir Robert Douglas's, Col. Fitz­Patrick, Col. O Farrels, a Battalion of the Danish Guards, and the Queens. Orders were likewise given for Seventeen Men of each Battalion in Churchill's Bri­gade to be ready at the same time and place, and to be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Manwayring, their business being to make the ways through the Defilés; they were all to receive a Ducat a Head for their Labour; and as they were to joyn with the Vanguard in time of business, they carried their Arms with them as well as Hatchets and Spades. All this Detachment was to be commanded by the Duke of Wirtemberg as the Vanguard of our Army. Orders were likewise given for the whole Army to march ve­ry early in the morning, the General to beat at break of Day, and the Army to be ready to march at Sun rising. All these Preparations were in order to attack the French the next day in their own Camp at Enghein, who the same Day as we march'd from Gennap to Hall, decamp'd from Soignes, and made all haste to Enghein, lest we should get that Ground from them, and thus oblige them to get farther to their own Conquests; Luxembourg's Right being at Steenkirk, and his Left at Enghien, he took his Quarters at Hove.

According to Orders, July 24./Aug. 3, the Six Battalions paraded at the Head of Prince Waldeck's Regiment, and the De­tachment of 17 Men per Battalion of Churchill's Bri­gade, and received the Commandment of Prince Wir­temberg; [Page 39] and very early in the Morning the whole Army followed them, making their way to the Ene­mies Camp through nothing but Defilés, being close Ground all the way, and no other way but such as was made by our Detachment for that purpose; the Baggage being left behind by order, at the Camp at Hall. About Nine or Ten in the Morning our Van­guard came to the Advanc'd Posts of the Enemy, the Mareschal of Luxembourg, (as the Paris Account gives it) having been informed of our Design by Mon­sieur de Tracey, (who commanded a Detachment of Horse that Night between the Enemies Camp and ours) had taken care to possess himself of the most considerable Posts in the Defilés; but notwithstand­ing our Vanguard oblig'd the Enemy to retreat from them all, till they came to a little Wood, just upon the Right of the Enemies Camp, except a small Guard in a Village upon the Left of our Columns, almost a League from the Enemy's Camp, who upon the March of our Army were all made Prisoners of War; their number about Thirty Men and an Officer.

Between Ten and Eleven of the Clock in the Morn­ing our Advanc'd Guards under the Command of Prince of Wirtemberg lodged themselves in the Wood that fronted the Right of the Enemy's Army; the Danes and the Battalion of Guards taking their Post upon the Left in the Wood; and Sir Robert Douglas; Fitzpatrick's and O Farrel's upon the Right of them; on the other side of the Wood was the Enemy's Camp, a little Valley remaining between, and a great many Hedges, which the Enemy resolved to maintain with all Vigour possible, though they yielded so easily their Advanced Posts. Prince Wirtemberg planted up­on a little Rising on the Left of the Wood a Battery of [Page 40] Canon, which began to play about Eleven of the Clock; and another upon the Right, by Sir Robert Douglas his Battalion. Captain Macrackan of the same Regiment, who afterwards was killed, pointed a Ca­non from this Battery so successfully, that it put a whole Battalion of the Enemies in disorder, sweeping almost an entire Rank before it.

Whilst Prince Wirtemburg was playing upon the E­nemy with these Batteries of Cannon, the Army marcht up to the Head of the Defile (about half an English Mile from the Wood) where it open'd in a little Plain upon our Right, not above half a League over, which termi­nated upon the Right of the Wood, where our Van-Guard was, and at the Right of our Army, upon seve­ral Rows of high Trees, which seem'd planted in great order, as if 'twas the Avenue of some Person of Qua­lity's House, which being towards Enghien, makes me suppose, that they may belong to the Duke of Arschot's House, where these famous Gardens be, as are said to be the Pattern of Versailles: through these, streight before us, on the other side of the Plain, we could see the French Infantry drawn up in two Lines, and ma­king towards their Right to defend the Post upon the Wood. Upon the Right of this Plain, not far from these Groves and Rows of Trees, there was a pretty considerab [...]e Farm, which soon after the Engagement was set on fire by the Enemy, to cover (as 'tis said) se­veral of their Battalions by the Smoak, who were or­der'd this way, and was afterwards engag'd with Fagel's Brigade, between this House and the Wood, where our Advanc'd Guard was posted. From the Head of our Defile, upon the Left of the Plain, there went for al­most half a Mile in length, a deep hollow way with high Trees and Hedges upon the Banks of it, which [Page 41] reach'd as far as the Wood, where the Van-Guard was posted, and where it branch'd itself in three other deep ways, one going through the Wood upon the Left to the Danes Attack, and to that of the Guards; one al­most streight forwards; and the other upon the Right, going along the outside of the Wood; between these two last was the place, where Sir Robert Douglass, Col. Fitz-Patrick's, and O Farrel's Regiments were posted. On the other side of the deep way as went from the Head of our Defile to the Post, where was our Van­Guard, went several narrow Fields, which lay between it all along, and a part of the Wood which reach'd as far as from our Advanc'd Guards to our Defiles.

When the Army was come up to the Head of these Defiles, and just entring into the small Plains, they were order'd to halt, except the English Life-Guards, and Horse and Dragoons, which were commanded upon the right skirts of the Wood, where was our Van-Guard, and my Lord Cutts's, Lieutenant-General Mackay's, Sir Charles Graham's, and Earl of Angus's Regiments, which being interlin'd with the English Horse, were command­ed at the same time to the outside of the Wood, on this side of that way as branch'd upon the Right, which made the Figure of the Arch of a Circle, as the skirts of the Wood did here before us; these four Regiments were posted here, to be ready to second the Attack of our Van-Guard. Prince of Hesse's, Col. Lauder's, and Earl of Leven's Regiments, who were also interlin'd with the Left Wing of Horse, were likewise posted up­on the side of the Wood.

Things being thus dispos'd, and our Army continu­ing on the halt, Prince Wirtemberg, after he had Can­nonaded for above two Hours, begun the Attack with the Danes upon the Right, which was immediately fol­low'd [Page 42] by the other four English Regiments as compos'd our Van-Guard, and seconded by Cutts, Mackay, An­gus, Graham, Lauder, the Prince of Hesse, and Leven's Regiments. Certainly never was a more dreadful, and at the same time bolder firing heard, which for the space of two Hours seem'd to be a continu'd Thunder, and equall'd the Noise even of the loudest Claps; our Van-Guard behav'd in this Engagement to such wonder and admiration, that tho' they receiv'd the Charge of seve­ral Battalions of the Enemies, one after another, yet they made them retreat almost into their very Camp, so far, that the Second Battalion of the First Regiment of Guards, possess'd themselves of a Battery of the Ene­mies Cannon, which the Enemy were oblig'd to quit by the vigour of our Charge; and Colonel Wacup who commanded the Battalion, and who behav'd himself extreamly well in this occasion, plac'd a Serjeant and Guard upon it; but the French having cut off the Traces, and taken away the Horses, we could not bring them off, but were oblig'd afterwards to leave them: Sir Robert Douglass, with his first Battalion, charg'd se­veral of the Enemies, and beat them from three several Hedges, and had made himself Master of the fourth, where going through a Gap to get on the other side, he was unfortunately kill'd upon the spot; all the other Regiments performing equal wonder, and behaving with the same Bravery, and beating the Enemies from their Hedges so far, that in this Hedge-fighting their fire was generally Muzzle to Muzzle, we on the one side, and the Enemy on the other.

But to return to our Army; As soon as we were come to the Head of the Defile, it was order'd to halt, particularly our Left Wing of Horse, that the Foot that were interlin'd with them, which were most English [Page 43] and Scotch, and which I have before mentioned, might march up through the Horse; we were oblig'd to this halt, tho' it was the loss of the day; because the Ground was so streight, and the Enemy had such Hedges, Copses, and little Woods to cover them, that there was nothing to do for the Horse; so that when the Van-Guard began to engage, they had none but part of the Infantry in­terlined with the Left Wing of Horse, to second them, the Body of the Infantry being almost a Mile in the Rear; however, as soon as the Action began, the King made all diligence possible to get the Infantry up, or­dering a Brigade to march up to the Wood, and forming a Line of Battel in the Plain, with that Infantry as could come up; the Soldiers shew'd such eagerness to come to the Enemy, that they ran to the Relief of those as were en­gag'd, even so fast, that they put themselves into some disorder, which was the reason that they took more time to form their Battalions, than was at that time convenient: this was the case of those Battalions as were sent to the Wood, to the Relief of our Van-Guard; so that when they came up, our Van-Guard and Infan­try of the Left Wing being over-powr'd by the vast many Battalions of the Enemy, as charg'd them succes­sively one after another; and lastly, by the survening of Boufflers's fresh Troops, they were forc'd to retreat in great disorder, and to leave the Wood in which they had lodg'd themselves, entirely to the Enemies possessi­on. The Baron of Pibrack's Regiment of Lunenbur­gers being in great disorder in the skirt of the Wood, and the Baron their Colonel lying dangerously wound­ed upon the place, (which he got in rallying of his Re­giment) the Earl of Bath's (one of the Regiments that was commanded towards the Wood) the other English being Brigadier Churchil's) was order'd by Prince Ca­simir [Page 44] of Nassaw to their Relief; two Sergeants of this Regiment rescu'd the Colonel, who lay wounded al­most in the Enemies hand, and brought him off in spight of their fire; upon these Orders of Prince Casi­mir of Nassaw, Sir Bevil Granville, who commanded the Earl of Bath's Regiment, march'd up to the Relief of this Lunenburg Regiment, bearing the Enemies fire, before he suffer'd any Platton of his Battalion to dis­charge once; by which method the Regiment lodg'd itself in the Trench, or deep way, that lay upon the skirt of the Wood, which it maintain'd, till it was com­manded off again by the same Prince of Nassaw.

The King having form'd a Line of as many Battali­ons as cou'd come up in this little Plain, the Enemy upon their Right, and our Left of the Wood as wefac'd, planted a Battery of about ten Pieces of Cannon, to put them in disorder by their fire; we at the same time brought another against it, and thus continued firing one upon another for a considerable time. What mis­chief we did to the Enemy by our Cannon then, I can­not tell, but theirs kill'd several of our Soldiers, some in the Regiment of Fuzileers, and some in the Battalion of the Second Regiment of Guards, but the most con­siderable loss we sustain'd by it, was Col. Hodges, who was shot with a Cannon-ball at the Head of his Regi­ment, of which he soon after dy'd. There was like­wise a Skirmish between some of the French, and some of our Battalions, between the Wood and that Farm which was fir'd by the Enemy, but it did not last long; what Regiments they were I cannot tell; but I suppose they were some of the Dutch interlin'd in the Left Wing of Horse, commanded by Brigadier Fagel.

The Van Guard being thus disorder'd for want of a timely Relief, which was occasion'd by the narrowness [Page 45] of the Ground, and consequently beaten out of their Post in the Wood, Luxemburg being likewise joyn'd by the Marquess of Boufflers's fresh Troops, who came time enough to compleat the Defeat of our Van-Guard with his Dragoons; and besides, the Night drawing on, the King order'd the Army to retreat, which was done with admirable Order; for tho' the French did follow us for some time, yet they did not fire a shot, such was the order of our Retreat, that they did not dare venture up­on it; the English Grenadiers brought up the Rear, and whenever the French mov'd towards us, they fac'd to the Right about, and presented themselves to the Enemy; then the Enemy would halt, and so our Rear-Guard then march'd on; this halting and facing, and then marching, continu'd for some time, till the Night put an end to the Enemies farther motion: And thus the Army came back to Halle, on Munday Morning about Three of the Clock.

We lost in this Action several Pieces of Cannon, some taken by the Enemy, and some we could not bring off, the Horses being tired, we likewise blew up some of our Powder-Waggons in the Retreat, which we could not bring off, some having their Carriages broken, and others their Horses tir'd. The English lost two Colours and the Dutch likewise some; we had about Two thousand Men kill'd, and about Three thousand wounded, in which number we comprehend the Prisoners taken by the French, disabled by their Wounds to come off, be­ing about 8 or 900. Of the English and Scotch twelve Battalions engag'd, viz. The Second Battalion of the First Regiment of Guards, the First Battalion of Sir Ro­bert Douglass's, Col. Fitz-Patricks, and Col. O Farrel's in the Van-Guard; Cutts, Hesse, Mackay, Graham, An­gus, Leven, and Lauder, interlin'd in the Left-Wing of Horse. Of the Body of the Infantry, the Earl of Bath's. [Page 46] Of the Danes, Battalion of Guards, the Queen's Batta­lion, Prince Christians and the Finland Battalion. Of the Dutch, Waldeck, Fagel, Noyelles, Torsey, L'Fcluse, Nas­saw, commanded by Colonel Goz. Lunenburgers in the States Service, Boisdavid and Pibrac; besides Epin­gers and Fitzhardings Dragoons, and the Horse Gra­nadiers, who charg'd on Foot. Officers killed of Note were, Lieutenant General Mackay, Sir John La­nier Lieutenant General of Horse mortally wounded, who died few days after at Brussels, Sir Robert Douglas Earl of Angus, Colonel Hodges, my Lord Mountjoy, who had been two or three years in Prison in France, and came upon his Liberty to serve the King as a Vo­luntier; he was killed with a Canon Ball at the Head of Colonel Godfrey's Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Fullerton, Foxon, Hawley, Wacup and Hamilton, Ma­jor Carre of Angus's Regiment, wounded mortally, and died soon after. Chief Officers wounded, my Lord Cutts, Colonel Mackay, Lieutenant Colonel Eaton, Courthop, Major Fox of Fitzpatrick's. Prisoners of Note, Colonel Lauder, Lieutenant Colonel Eaton, Bristol and Courthop. Several Officers of the Danes, killed, wounded, and some Prisoners, whose Names I cannot Insert. As likewise of the Dutch, Lietenant General Tetteau wounded, Colonel Goz, Commandant of Prince Casimir of Nassaws Guards, and Colonel Moor Commandant of Torsey's Regiment, both killed.

This is an Impartial Account of the Business of that Day, of which the French, notwithstanding their Te­Deum, have no great reason to brag. All as Impartial Men can say of their Advantage, is, that we attack'd them in their own Camp, and that they repuls'd us, though with the greater Loss both of Soldiers and con­siderable Officers on their side. If it had pleased God [Page 47] to have given us the Victory, we must have been Ma­sters of their Camp, and great part of their Baggage; whereas the Consequence of the Disadvantage on our side, was not, nor could not be so: And therefore what ever Honour the French may assume to them­selves in the Repulse, yet it can't be deny'd us in the Attack. And indeed the French Officers (whatever the Paris Gazette may romance) are just in this respect, and are not unwilling to give the Honour due to the English, and the rest of the Kings Forces who engag'd in this Attempt. What Loss the French sustain'd, or what Forces engag'd, we cannot so just tell; the Pa­vis Gazette says, That the whole Body of our Infantry engag'd, and insinuates, That the French Infantry did the same, since it says, that it gave that day very good Proofs of Courage, though they were not before valued by their Enemies. Whether our whole Infan­try engag'd, as the Account published at Paris as sent to the French King, I leave the Reader to judge. I am sure none of the Body of Foot engag'd, but three of the Four English and Scotch Regiments, detach'd upon the Vanguard, and the Earl of Bath's Regiment, all the rest being interlin'd with the Left Wing of Horse, except the Four Danish Battalions. But by all the In­formations that I could get, from Officers who were taken Prisoners, and who have been some time in their Hands both at Mons and Valenciennes, who relate nothing but what they have had from French Officers, above Fifty of their Battalions charg'd that day besides Seven or Eight Regiments of Dragoons. Nay, their Infantry was so harrass'd by our Fire, that they seem'd unwilling at last to come to the Charge; so far, that the most considerable Princes in the Army of the Blood, and others, were oblig'd to head them, and to [Page 48] lead them on by their Examples and Exhortations; in which Action the Duke of Chartres receiv'd a Con­tusion in the Shoulder, the Prince of Conti had two Horses shot under him, and the Prince of Turenne re­ceiv'd a Mortal Wound, of which he dy'd afterwards at Enghien. But the coming of Boufflers renewed their Efforts, and his fresh Troops soon put our Van­guard in Disorder, who had been sufficiently harrass'd for want of Relief. The French lost on their side a Standard belonging to the Dauphin's Dragoons, taken by those of Epinger; and we made some Captains, a Cornet, and some other Officers Prisoners. They have owned themselves to our English Officers that have been Prisoners amongst them, that they have had 9000 Men killed and wounded: Of the wounded a vast many dy'd afterwards, because our Arms are stronger, and carry better Balls than theirs. I can't give an Account of their considerable Officers that they lost, since I have not seen a List: What I can remember of the Paris Gazette, are, the Prince of Tu­renne, the Marquess Tilladet, both Lieutenant Generals kill'd, and likewise the Marquess de Bellfords, and Col­lonel Polier. There are great many others both kill'd and wounded, whose Names I can't remember.

But before I quit this Relation of the Engage­ment, I can't omit the generous Charity of the Princess of Vaudemont at Brussels I wish that all those of her Communion, as the Popes have Cano­niz'd, had as good a Title to be Saints: For the num­ber of our wounded being greater than could be con­tain'd in the Hospital which the King had at Brussels, a great many on the Monday in the Evening were ly­ing with their Wounds up and down the Streets; whereupon this excellent Princess, moved with a Chri­stian [Page 49] Principle of Charity, went in her Coach at­tended with a great many Flambeaux, up and down the Streets, to find them out, and had them conduct­ed to the great Hall of her Palace, where she saw them dress'd of their Wounds her self by her Surgeons, she and the Ladies of her Attendance giving Linnen and other Necessaries for that purpose: And here she main­tained them till they could either be remov'd to the other Hospitals, or till they were in a condition to go abroad themselves.

The Day following the Mareschal de Luxembourg sent a Trumpet in our Camp, July 25./Aug. 4. to give leave to Offi­cers Servants to go to the place of Battel, to take care of their Masters Bodies as were kill'd upon the place, and likewise to assure, that care would be taken of all such wounded Prisoners as they had. But Orders were given out in our Army only for Field-Officers Servants to go, and bring off the Bodies of their Masters, as lay dead upon the place; by which means the Bodies of Sir Robert Douglas and Lieutenant Colonel Fuller­ton were brought off, and buried in our Camp at Halle. As for my Lord of Angus, his Governour went, but could not find his Body amongst the Dead, nor hear of him amongst all the Prisoners. He had a Pass on purpose to go to the French Army to enquire for his Lord.

Our Army Forag'd towards Haute Croix, and a Detachment of Horse under the Command of Lieu­tenant General Sgravenmoor, 26./Aug. 5. sent to cover our Fo­ragers, met with a considerable Detachment of French Horse, and was oblig'd to retreat. The Alarm came quickly to our Army, and it appeared immediately under Arms; but there was no considerable harm done of either side in the two Detachments.

[Page 50] This day one Chevalier de Millevoix (so called for his Excellency in Singing, July 27./Aug. 6. and a great Master in Mu­sick, who by it had got himself to be one of the Elector of Bavaria's Domesticks, and was very much consider'd of him, insomuch that he had a very good Pension, and made a very great Figure) was hanged upon a Tree in the Front of our Right Wing of Horse for a Spy, and for having given, and endeavoured to give Intelligence to the Mareschal of Luxembourg, which was intercepted by the Elector. The Boor he employ'd bringing two of his Letters, one after ano­ther, to his Electoral Highness; and pretending to Millevoix; that he had fallen amongst some of our De­tachments, and had been oblig'd to fling them away. His true Name was Jaquet, born at Lisle in the French Conquests in Flanders.

The King being advertised that the French Army march'd from Enghien to Gislenhem, Aug. 1./11. the King march'd with all the Army, (except those had been harrass'd at Steenkirk) to charge them in the Rear; but the Ad­vertisement having been given too late, his Majesty could not overtake them. The French decamp'd in great Secresie, without any general Beating before, or any Beat of Drum upon their March, and their Pikes trail'd; which sufficiently shews, they did not care (notwithstanding their Victory) for a Second Brush. They left all our wounded Prisoners behind them at Enghien, who were sent the next day in Carts to Brus­sels. His Majesty this day went as far as Enghien, and had full view of the place of Battle, of the Enemies Camp as it was before they march'd off, and before we engag'd. Our Army not being able to overtake the Enemies Rear, returned the same day to Halle.

[Page 51] We Forag'd this day, Aug. 2./12. and the Detachment was put under the Command of my Lord of Athlene, who be­ing informed that several of the Enemy lay in Am­buscade in a Wood to steal our Horses, he ordered a Party to beat the Wood, where Captain Rowland Mai­kenzy, of that Regiment as was Sir Robert Dowglas's, now my Lord George Hamilton's, made Twenty Pri­soners, who begg'd very eernestly for Quarter, though Orders had been to give none.

This day the Chevalier de Grandval Knight of Mal­ta, 3./13. Bartholomew Lanier by Name, born at Liniere in Picardy, was Hang'd, Drawn and Quarter'd, (ac­cording to the English Punishment for Traytors) in the midst of our Camp, for having conspir'd to as­sassinate the King, with Du Mont and Levendael, the first having discovered the business (as we have said before) to the Duke of Zell, and the second to his Brother in Holland: They were confronted as Witnesses of the Fact, which Grandval himself confessed and own'd. This Grandval had before kill'd the Mareschal de Hu­miere's Nephew in a Duel; and as there is no mercy in France for such Men, he was oblig'd to fly to the Duke of Savoy's Country for shelter, where in the be­ginning of the War he took Service. But Monsieur de Catenat finding this Grandval Serviceable to the Duke of Savoy, represented it to the French King, and desired him to give him his Pardon; being assured under-hand, that he would quit the Duke's Service if he had it. Accordingly upon Catinat's Request, Grand­val had the Kings Pardon, and thus left the Duke of Savoy, and came to Catinat's Army, where he was immediately preferr'd to be Major of Dragoons and Adjutant General. Du Mont having been formerly an Officer in the States Service, and disoblig'd (I think [Page 52] cashier'd) by our King, he was resolved to attempt a Revenge by the assassinate of his Sacred Person; ac­cordingly he made the Motion to the then Marquess de Louvois; and this was designed to be executed in 91. when the King was in the Field, either upon the March of our Army, or at some other time when the King rid abroad to view some Posts. The Marquess de Lou­vous pitched upon this Grandval to bring the Assassin off, who was to command a Detachment of some stout desperate Fellows for that purpose: For Louvois thought this Man fit for the purpose, since he had been so desperate as to fight a Duel, contrary to the strictest Orders of the French King, and in which there was no hopes of Mercy, and also because he had been so much obliged by the French King in having his Pardon, in a case in which the French King had never pardoned before; and therefore he lay under some Obligation to undertake this honourable Employment. But Du Mont and Grandval missing of their Design that Cam­paign, and the Marquess de Louvois dying some time after, it was laid by, and Du Mont retired to Hano­ver. Barbesieux however finding this Project in his Fathers Papers, would not let it fall, but sent for Grand­val, who accordingly entred into a new Negotiation with Du Mont by Letters at Hanover, and took with him a third Associate, Levendael, at Paris, and ap­pointed their meeting to execute their Enterprize at Endhoven near Boisleduc. I need not say any more Particulars, I refer my self to the Factum printed in several Languages by Authority, to let the World know so horrible a Villany, and what the French Court will not attempt, though it be never so base and unworthy, to rid themselves of a powerful Ene­my; and far more base and horrible than those Designs [Page 53] laid against the Life of William I. Prince of Orange, his Sacred Majesty's Glorious Ancestor, as this was carried with a Hellish Secresie; whereas the King of Spain had by a publick Proscription laid a Price upon the Prince's Life. These Traytors were invited to this more than Hellish Conspiracy, by the Prospect of vast Rewards promised them both by the late King and Barbesieux, as has appeared by their own Confes­sion, and Grandval's own Letter to Mademoiselle Juré, wherein he desired her to wait upon the Archbishop of Rheins, to acquaint him, that he had obeyed the Marquess de Barbesieux's Orders at the Expence of his Life.

My Lord of Athlone, General of the Dutch Horse, was President at the Council of War, where he was Try'd, assisted by Sgravenmoor, Sir John Lanier, and Talmash, and Mackay; Lieutenant Generals La Forest de Weede, Noyelles, Zobell, Major Generals. Churchill and Ramsey Brigadiers. But the business of Steenkirk cut off two of the General Officers present at the Council of War, before the passing of Sentence, so that their Names are not Sign'd in it, viz. Lanier and Mackay. The Sentence was passed and read Monday the 11 th of August, at the Camp at Lembeck, and Ex­ecuted the Wednesday following.

This day the Army decamp'd from Nostredame de Halle and marched to St. Quinten Lenneck, Aug. 9./19. a place re­markable only for the Retrenchments which remain there, which Prince Waldeck caused to be made some­time before the Army's breaking up in 1690. and the next day we came to Ninove, the first Town in Flan­ders, scituated upon the River Dender, which passing by Alost, falls into the Scheld at Dendermond. The French were at the same time encamp'd between Gram­mont [Page 54] in Dutch Geersberg, and Lessines, both upon the same River, about two Leagues higher. The King took his Quarter in the Abbey of the Town, of the Order of Premonstre or St. Norbet, and the Elector at a Gentlemans House not far from the Town: The Kings Quarter lying something too open in this Camp in the Front of our Army, all the English and Scotch Granadiers were order'd to encamp about the King's Quarters to cover it.

The day before this last March, (viz. the [...]th) the Second Battalion of the first Regiment of Guards, my Lord Cutts's and the Prince of Hesse's Regiments were sent to Mecklen, having suffer'd very much in the late Engagement. Three Dutch Regiments who suffer'd at the same time, were commanded towards Maestricht.

All the heavy Baggage of the Army was command­ed towards Ghendt, Aug. 14./24. under the Convoy of Four Danish Battalions who had suffered at Steenkirk, and were or­dered there to quarter: They were the Battalion of Danish Guards, the Queens, Prince Christians, and the Finland Battalions. This was in order to the Armies marching the next day towards the Scheld. The Ways being difficult, and the Defilés many, the heavy Bag­gage was ordered to Ghendt. The next day being St. Lewis's day, 15./25. the Army march'd from Ninove. The French at the same time decamp'd from Grammont and Lessines to pass the Scheld as soon as we; this being their Patron Saint, and reckoned amongst them as a Fortunate day: Our Left Flank laid very open all this day's March, if they had pleased to attack it; but they thought it not convenient, and so we came and encamped in very close Grounds at St. Levinus Hal­theim, a pretty large Village, and considerable chiefly for the Burying-place of St. Levinus, a Scotch Man, [Page 55] and sometimes Bishop of Ghendt, a Martyr beheaded there, as the Legend will have it, and buried in this Church; as we came up to our Ground in this Camp, it being all high Trees and Inclosures, a Party of a­bout 100 French were surpriz'd Prisoners between our two Lines, the Defiles being such here that one Line could not see the other.

The next day the Army march'd and pass'd the Scheld at Gavre, Aug. 16./26. a little Town belonging to the Count d' Eg­mont, where he has an old ruinous Palace, which gives him the Title of Prince of Gavre; the other side of the Scheld, between this River and the Lys, is all close Ground, full of Trees, belonging to the Count d' Eg­mont, which made such difficult Defiles, that the Army cou'd march but very slowly; this made the French before-hand with us in their passage of the Scheld, be­tween Audenarde and Tournay; in this March before we came upon the Scheld, we had a very fine prospect of the whole Province of Flanders, which on the other side of the Scheld is all a perfect Level, not as much as a Hill to be seen, so that the Hills on the Brabant-side give a full view and prospect of it; we had the Town of Audenarde, and the Hills and Plains of Tournay, up­on our Left, Ghendt upon our Right, and before us all the Low Flanders, which gave us such a Prospect, that we cou'd see as far as Bruges and Antwerp; this Night we encamp'd amongst the Woods, between the Scheld and the Lys, the King taking his Head-Quarter at Nassaret.

The Army march'd towards the Lys, 17./27. being now joyn'd by that Detachment as was made at Genap, un­der the Command of Count Horn, Master of the Dutch Artillery; we had a very difficult March through the Defiles, till we pass'd the Lys at Deynse, which was ve­ry [Page 56] late in the Evening, tho' but a short March, by reason of the narrowness of the ways: the Army encamp'd late at Night on the other side of the River; the King took his Quarter at Grammen, and the Elector of Bavaria in the Town of Deynse, situated upon the Lys, about three Leagues higher than Ghendt, and gives the Title to the Marquess Deynse, Colonel of a Walloon Regiment, as we reliev'd at Damme. The Saturday following we were joyn'd by three Regiments of Horse lately come from England, viz. that as was Sir John Lanier's, now Col. Lumley's, my Lord of Athlone, and Col. Schack's, who then took their Post in the Line.

The Mareschal of Luxemburg marching as we did, to observe our motions, came about the same time with his Army to Harlebec, where he encamp'd between that place and Courtray, along the Lys; Luxemburg made the more hast to cover Courtray, a place which lies open all the Summer, and which the French have hitherto pal­lisado'd and fortify'd every Winter for a Garrison, and of which we might have otherwise possess'd ourselves, and made it a Winter-Quarter for our Troops; here Luxemburg lay ready likewise to cover Ipres or Dun­kirk, in case the Army had march'd that way.

The King order'd this day a Detachment of Six Re­giments towards the Canal of Bruges, 21./31. five being English and Scotch, viz. Bath, Castleton, Mackay, Graham, and Leven, and the Sixth Major-General Wey's Regiment of Dutch, commanded by Count d' Ohna; this Detach­ment march'd accordingly towards the Canal of Bruges, and pass'd it about half way, between Bruges and Ghendt, upon a Bridge of Boats, and encamp'd the other side of the Canal, under the Command of Brigadier Ramsey; the next day the said Detachment continu'd their March towards Bruges, and encamp'd within a quarter of a mile [Page 57] of that place, about Katarina Port, where they halted the next day to expect Lieutenant General Talmash, who was detached the 22d of August, O. S. Sept. 1. N. S. from the Army, with five Battalions, most English and Scotch, viz. his own of Guards, Second Battalion of Scotch Guards, Col. Trelawney, English Fuziliers, commanded by Col. Fitz-Patrick, and that Regiment as was Col. Hodges, Aug. 23./Sept. 2. now Col. Stanley's, who came up to Bruges by the same Road as Brigadier Ramsey's Detachment had march'd, and encamp'd just under the Walls. The same day the Dutch Regiment commanded by Count d' Ohna, march'd through Bruges, and joyn'd four Dutch Regi­ments of the Garrison of Bruges and Sluys, who were put under the Command of Major-General Count de Noyelles, who march'd the same day towards Newport.

This Day the aforesaid Detachment of ten English and Scotch Battalions, 24./Sept. 3. under the Command of Lieute­nant-General Talmash. march'd through the Town of Bruges, and so kept along the Canal of Ostend, till they came to Placendael, where we turn'd to the Left upon the Canal of Newport, and so encamp'd at Oudembourg, an old ruinous Town about half a League from Placen­dael, where the Canal of Newport falls into that of O­stend, and so goes on to Bruges: there are still some rui­nated Ramparts about the Abbey of St. Pierre in this old Town, of the Order of St. Benoist, where Lieute­nant General Talmash took his Quarters for that Night.

This Detachment of ten Battalions from the King's Army, under the Command of Lieutenant-General Tal­mash, was sent to joyn the Duke of Leinster, who on the 22d Aug. O. S. Sept. 1. N. S. came with the Tran­sport-Ships, under the Convoy of a Squadron of our Men of War, into Ostend Harbour, having on board fifteen Regiments, (viz.) Selwyn, Beaumont, Hastings, [Page 58] Sir David Collier, Tiffeny, West-Meath, Brewer, Ven­ner, Sir John Morgan, Lloyd, Beveridge, Earl of Argyle, La Meloniere, Belcastel, and Cambon; these Troops as they landed march'd to Mariekirk, about a League from Ostend, towards Newport, where they encamp'd some days to refresh themselves; the Duke of Leinster at his landing, order'd a Detachment of Colonel, Lieu­tenant Colonel, Major, Officers, and Men proportiona­ble, out of his Transport-Troops, to keep Guard at all the Passes along the Canal, from Placendael to New­port.

The Detachment under the Command of Lieute­nant-General Talmash, Aug. 25./Sept. 4. march'd from Oudenbourg, along the Canal of Newport, and so came to Newendam, a square Fort within half a League of Newport, where there is a Spanish Governor, and a small Garrison de­tach'd from time to time from the Garrison of Newport. Majer-General Count de Noyelles, who was since Bruges still a days march before us, enter'd this day into Furnes without any opposition, with the five Dutch Regiments under his Command, and took possession of the place. This Town lies upon a Canal, between Newport, and Berg St Winnox, within two Leagues of Newport, three of Berg St. Winnox, and about five from Dunkirk; and in all the Wars between the two Crowns, since Dunkirk and Berg have been in the French hands, this Town has still serv'd for a Winter-Quarter to the French, which in the Spring they still abandon'd, to have their Garri­son in the Field, and return'd their Pallisades to Berg or Dunkirk, and in the Winter they took care to fortifie it, so as to hold a Garrison for Winter-Quarters. It is a­bout the bigness of Ostend, and has in it a Parish-Church, a Collegiate Church of Secular Priests, the Dean where­of is a French-man, two Cloysters of Nuns, one of Ca­pucins, [Page 59] and an Abbey of White Monks of Premonstré, or the Order of St. Norbert, and is in the Diocess of Ipres.

Lieutenant-General Talmash, Aug. 26./Sept. 5. with the Detachment under his Command, march'd from Newendam, and came to Furnes, in Dutch called Vuernes, and encamp'd close by it; and a day or two after the Boars (that had been summon'd about Ghendt and Bruges, with their Spades and Shoovels, and other Instruments, to remove the Earth, and had been commanded hither) began to work about the Fortifications, being about 2 or 3000, Col. Cambon being Engineer; nothing new was added to the Fortifications, but only we renewed those Works as the French had ruin'd, when they left it the beginning of this Campaigne. The Duke of Leinster came like­wise with the Transport-Troops, and encamp'd at Oost Dunkirk, about a Mile from Talmash's Detachment, and at the same time he was joyn'd by a Detachment from the great Army, of about thirty Squadrons of Horse, under the Command of Brigadier Boncourt; so that now we made a Body of about Sixteen thousand Men, besides the Garrison of Furnes. We made Detachments and Parties almost every Night towards Dunkirk, but without meeting any of the Enemy's; and assoon as we had put the Body of that place in a condition to hold an Assault, pallisadoed it, and cleans'd the Ditch, we left the Boars to repair the rest of the Works, under the cover of the Garrison; we likewise left some Artillery to put upon the Ramparts, Sept. 7./17. and so march'd to Dix­muyde, the Battalion of Guards, Selwyn's, and the Fuzi­liers, and some other Regiments having been sent over Night to possess themselves of the place; which was put per Interim under the Command of Brigadier Ramsey. Upon our March, the Fort of Knock fir'd three Pieces of Cannon, suppos'd to give Notice to the French of our [Page 60] march that way: This is a little square Fort scituated upon the River that comes to Dixmuyde about a League and a half, and is very advantagiously posted upon a considerable Pass between Ipres, Dixmuyde, Furnes, Berg and Dunkirk, the Canals between Ipres and those places meeting all here; so that the taking of this Fort would have cut off the Communication between Ipres, Berg and Dunkirk, and would have co­ver'd very much our Garrison of Dixmuyde, which did lie now very open by the Neighbourhood of this Fort.

'Twas suppos'd we had a Design to attack it, since our Train of Artillery, Mortar-pieces, and other things necessary for an Attack were brought by Water from Newport to Dixmuyde, and that my Lords Portland and Auverquerque were sent from the King to the Duke of Leinster here, which looked like a Consultation about some considerable Enterprize: Besides, Col. Cambon our Engenier was sent to view the place under the Escorte of a good Detachment of Horse. The Fort fir'd upon them with their Canon, but without any loss on our side: But the French upon our March this way, soon made a considerable Detachment from their Ar­my to cover this place, who encamp'd close under the Fort.

When we came to Dixmuyde we encamp'd just by it, in two Lines, having our Right at Caeskirk, where the Duke of Leinster had his Quarter, our Left upon the Town, and our Rear cover'd by the River Tser, upon which this Town is scituated, and which falls in­to the Sea at Newport. This Town, since the growing Power of France, has suffer'd many Revolutions; it was first taken for the French (as I have been told by some ancient People of the Town) by the Mareschal [Page 61] de Rantzaw, before the Siege of Dunkirk, and surren­dred afterwards by Treaty to the Spaniards: It was then of a far larger Extent than 'tis now: For in the Wars of 1672. the Count de Monterey, then Governour of the Spanish Netherlands, caused the Out Parts of the Town to be pulled down to bring it in a more convenient Compass for a Fortification, and for a place of Defence, and so fortify'd it after the manner as we find it now. But sometime after the Spanish Garrison finding themselves very weak, and the Enemy not far from them, they quitted the Place. I was told by the Inhabitants, that it was about that time as Luxem­bourg was besieged. All this War the French have had it in their Hands, making a Garrison of it every Win­ter, which with Furnes pressed Newport very much, the Garrison making their Incursions upon the Canals, and sometimes to the very Gates of Bruges. Every Summer as they took the Field, they pull'd down their Pallisadoes, and sent them by Water to Ipres. This Town has in it a Parish Church, in which there is a Dean, and some Secular Canons, a Cloister of Re­collects, and two Nunneries, and is in the Diocess of Ipres. Just out of Ipres Port was formerly a Nunne­ry of the Order of St. Bernard, which the Count de Monterey caused to be pulled down, when he brought the Town in the Precinct of that Fortification it has now, and gave the Nuns another Cloyster in exchange for it in Bruges.

We felt an Earthquake which lasted about two Mi­nutes, Sept. 8./18. and shook the Earth very violently; it was felt at the same time all over Flanders, in many parts of England and France, and in other places of Europe: We had it about Two of the Clock; it caus'd a great Consternation in our new Garrison of Dixmuyde, some [Page 62] thinking at first that the French had undermin'd seve­ral parts of the Town, and were in Ambuscade going to blow them up.

The same day the Duke of Leinster caused the Ar­my to intrench, which was mark'd out by Col. Cam­bon, our Left and Rear being cover'd by the Town and the River. Our Retrenchments were drawn from the Bridge upon the River along the Front of the Army, and round our Right Wing, till they came to joyn the River again. (Boufflers marching towards the Knock) this Precaution was taken, in case he would have en­deavour'd to interrupt our Fortification of Dixmuyde.

About as many Boors were (immediately upon our coming) employ'd to repair the Works of this place as we left at Furnes: We did not find the Fortification of this Town so far ruin'd as at Furnes, and followed in it (as there) those Works as the Ruines prescribed, with­out altering or making any new: We only made the Ditch next the Body of the place larger, to make our Bastions of a better height. This Town has five Ba­stions on that part as is expos'd to an Attack that is from the Windmil between Ipres port and tho River, to the Gate as leads to Bruges. The West side of the Town is cover'd by the River, to which it joyns by a Causey-way that leads to it, where it has a Bridge cover'd on the out-side by a good Bastion, and the in­side with a square Sconce, both ditch'd and pallisado'd. The Canal of Newport goes through the South part of the Town, and joyns the River a little below; and being a perfect Morass on this side, it does not require much Fortification. The Town is environ'd with a double Ditch and cover'd way, and the Faces of each Bastion are cover'd with a Half-Moon, besides good spacious Ravelins upon the Curtins. This is what we [Page 63] had to repair; and to go on with the more Speed, a Detachment of a hundred Men per Battalion (except the Guards) were commanded to work, under the In­spection of a Captain, Lieutenant and Ensign, each; so that we had, Sept. 10./20 Soldiers and Boors, very near 5000 Men on work every day. The six Regiments that were in Town came out and encamp'd, and six others were or­der'd in their places, (viz.) Princess Ann's, the Earl of Bathe's, Lord Castleton's, Col. Venner's, Col. Mackay's, and Earl of Leven's, and encamp'd within the Ram­parts of the Town, where, besides the ordinary Guard, a Re-inforcement of the Bewarke mounted every Night at each Port towards the Enemy.

This day the ordinary Detachments of the Earl of Bathe's Regiment and Fusiliers, 12./22. being at work at the Bastion by Ipres part in enlarging the Ditch, found an old hidden Treasure, which quickly stopt the Soldiers working, who fell all a scrambling in a heap one up­on another, some bringing off a very good Booty, some Gold and some Silver, several Jacobus's and Sovereins being found by the Soldiers, and a great many old Pieces of Silver of Henry the Second, Charles the Ninth, Henry the Third, Henry the Fourth's Coyn, which are now hardly to be found in France. The People of the Town suppose that this Money belong'd to one Elfort a Gentleman, dead many years ago, who bury'd his Treasure (when the Mareschal de Rantzau took the Town) in the Bernardine Nuns Gar­den, (this Ground where the Money was found having been formerly in that Garden) which Count de Mon­terey caused to be demolished; and they think that there might have been about 900 Pound Groot, which makes the value of Four Hundred and Fifty Guineas English. This Elfort left it by Will to his Children, [Page 64] and the Marks where to find it, but his Children could never discover it. 'Tis a wonder that it has not been found till now, since the French have work'd every Winter this War, and several times before, in repairing the Works of this Fortification; 'tis very likely that we should have gone without it too, if we had not enlarg'd the Ditch at this time.

Count Horne, Sept. 21./Octob. 1. Master of the Dutch Artillery, who has had the Command both of Furnes and Dixmuyde given him, came to this place with Five Dutch Regi­ments, and Colonel Lauders, to Garrison there this Winter; and the other six Regiments that were there marched out and encamped with the Army: But the Works being now pretty well repair'd, these six Regi­ments were ordered to march towards Newport under the Command of Major General Sir Henry Bellassis, 23./Octob. 3. who encamp'd at a Village call'd St. George, about half a League from Newport, and on the Mondny following the Duke of Leiuster came to the same place with the rest of the Forces under his Command. The Train of Artillery was order'd back to Newport, Sept. 26./Octob. 6. under the Es­carte of Sir Henry Bellassis's Detachment, where it was put on board our Transport Ships. The Horse like­wise march'd away to joyn each Detachment their proper Body in the great Army.

All the English and Scotch Battalions as were to Win­ter in the Country, 29./Octob. 9. march'd towards their Winter-Quarters, under the Command of Lietenant General Talmash towards Bruges, and were Canton'd that night upon Oudenbourg, and the next day they Canton'd in the Villages about Bruges, Lieutenant General Talmash having his Quarter at the Abbey of St. Andrew where the rest of the English and Scotch that were to have their Winter Quarters at Bruges were detach'd from [Page 65] the great Army to joyn him, (viz.) First Battalion of Scotch Guards, Lord George Hamilton's two Battalions, Col. O Farrel's and Col. Monro's; the other Troops under Lieutenant General Talmash's Command, as were to go to Winter Quarters to Ghendt and Mecklen, marched on through Bruges, and Canton'd some days upon the Canal, (viz.) Lieutenant General Talmash's. Battalion of Guards, Col. Trelawny and the Fusiliers. But upon the Enemy's Motion about Charleroy, Octob. 2./12. they joyn'd the great Army again at Drongen. The Earl of Bathe's Regiment was ordered to Damme for Winter Quarters, a strong little Garrison between Bruges and Sluys, scituated upon a Canal that goes to Bruges (ha­ving such Sluces under its Command, that it can over­flow all the Country about) where the Regiment came the 4/14th of October. The rest of the Troops Can­ton'd about Bruges, came to Garrison one after another as fast as Quarters could be made ready for them. Col. Beveredge's and Stanley's Regiments remained behind at Dixmuyde for some time to re-inforce the Garrison, till others came to relieve them, and then they were ordered to Ostend for their Winter Quarters.

As for the most remarkable Transactions in the great Army since we had left it, they continued encamp'd at Deynte and Grammen, whilst his Majesty remain'd in the Field; and some days after we had been detach'd from thence, the King was inform'd that a Party of French was made of about 500 Men to come and surprize one of our Out Quarters, and order'd thereupon a suitable Detachment to lie in Ambuscade to receive them; but upon the Approach of the Enemy, some of ours spoiled the Design by firing too soon; and so the French retir'd only with the Loss of Two Men.

[Page 66] His Majesty left the Field on Friday the 16th of Se­ptember, O. S. and went to Breda, and afterwards to Loo, where His Majesty remain'd between a Fortnight and three Weeks, whereby the Command of the Army remain'd in the Elector of Bavaria's hands; who some­times after march'd nearer to Ghendt, part encamping a­bout Drongen on the Lys, and part at Gavreon, the Scheld making a Line of Communication between them, the distance being but small; the Elector took his Quarters at Drongen, a very fine and noble Abbey of White Monks of the Order of St. Norbert, and about a League from Ghendt; afterwards his Electoral Highness remov'd to­wards Alost, where 'twas design'd to separate into Win­ter Quarters; but the Count de Montal having joyn'd the Marquess de Boufflers on the other side of the Sam­bre, and both making a considerable Body, march'd towards Charleroy, with a Train of Artillery, Bombs, and Mortar-pieces, with a design to attack it; this ob­lig'd the Elector to march with his Army towards Brussels, and afterwards to advance as far as Waterloo and Genap, to be ready to relieve it, in case of an attack. Baron Fleming with the Brandenburg and Liege Troops, having repass'd the Meuse at Huy, march'd up to Fleury to joyn his Electoral Highness.

The Marquess de Boufflers finding Affairs in so good a posture, contented himself to bombard the Lower Town of Charleroy, which lies on the other side of the Sambre, whereabouts Boufflers lay encamp'd, he began this Work on Sunday the 9th of October, O. S. and con­tinu'd till the Tuesday following; where his Bombard­ing cost infinitely more to his Master, than the Mis­chief he caus'd cou'd amount to, this being the most inconsiderable part of Charleroy, and the Fortifications of it altogether neglected, that lying open to the Ene­my. [Page 67] Upon these motions of the French towards Charleroy, the King who was lately come from Loo to the Hague, Octob. 9./19. went Post to Brussels, where his Majesty arriv'd Octob. 9. and lay that night at his own Palace, and return'd the next day to the Hague, after having held a Council of War with the Elector of Bavaria, and other great Officers of the Army; my Lord of Athlone was thereupon detach'd from the Army, with Ammunitions, Provisions, and other Necessaries for the Relief of Charleroy, with an Escorte of 4000 Horse and Dragoons, which his Lordship got safely into the Town.

Boufflers having left Charleroy, the Armies on both sides began to separate towards their Winter-Quarters. Great Garrisons have been put in Brussels, Mecklen, Ghent, Vilvord, and Dendermond, and along the Canal; so that in Four and twenty hours time, upon any mo­tion of the French, we can have a considerable Army about Brussels.

His Majesty being come back to the Hague, sail'd some days after for England, where he arriv'd at Tar­mouth the 18th day of October, and thence went to Lon­don; where His Majesty was receiv'd with universal Joy and Acclamation, for his happy and safe return. And thus I have brought the relation of the most re­markable Transactions of this Campaign in the King's Army to a conclusion, whereby it appears, that if other things did second the unwearied Pains, the indefatiga­ble Toyls and Labours His Majesty takes, and the con­tinu'd Dangers he exposeth himself to, the French Arms would not flourish so much as they have done hither­to; and whatever Advantages the French have really had, or to which they pretend in this Campaigne, yet the King's Subjects have not in the least disgrac'd the Renown and Glory of their Ancestors in it; but have acquir'd to themselves such Reputation, as has forc'd [Page 68] even a Commendation, and I may safely say, Fear from their Enemies. We have a sort of People, who in magnifying the French Greatness, and how useless our Efforts have been in Flanders to suppress it, would insinuate, that because he is Great, that it is best to yield to what we cann't resist; and since we have had no more success in Flanders, 'tis best let it go, and stand for the rest upon our own Defence, which indeed is the only way to break the Alliance, and have this very Power (which they so much magnifie) wholly upon our Arms, so that a Man has reason to suspect, that such Insinuations do underhand tend to introduce a French Power amongst us. If the French King is so Great, all as a rational Man can infer is, that therefore our Efforts ought to be so much the greater; and that we are to make use of the utmost of our Powers, not only to resist, but to endeavour to humble this formi­dable Power, to which the way seems already open by our Signal Victory at Sea; 'tis very plain, that if a stop can be put to the French King's Proceedings, it must be by an English Power, and that 'tis only by the Vi­gour and Greatness of our Efforts as he can be humbled; which I am sure is a thing to be wish'd by all true Eng­lish-men, and to which every one that is such will con­tribute, according to his Condition and Capacity, to the utmost of his Power.