belonging to the first of those two Places to which the King of Poland readily consented While they were preparing to put this Design in Execution Prince Lewis of Baden joyn'd the Army with the Duke of Bavaria's Infantry which Reinforcement giving them fresh Life and Courage they began to cross the Waag The Cavalry encamp'd the same day upon the Banks of that same Arm of the Danaw staying for those other Troops which had not yet passed the River The Duke also waited for the Infantry to the end the Army might march in a Body toward Barcam and perform some remarkable Atchievement And he reckon'd upon it that the next day which was the 8th the whole Army wou'd be ready to set forward in regard Count Starembergh who Commanded the Infantry had Orders to joyn the Army that day But the King of Poland anticipated tâ—e Time for he sent word that he was alreaâ—â— upon his March to Attack the Place which they had agreed to Assail and therefore dâ—â—â—'d him to follow with all expedition Which alteration of the K. of Poland's Resolution did not a little surprize the Duke and tho' he prepar'd himself to March nevertheless he sent before the Count de Dunewald to the King to let him know the Necessity of staying for the Infantry and the Danger they should bring themselves into by seperating their Forces when they were so near the Armies both of the Turks and Male-Contents and almost at the Gates of their strong Holds But the Count found the King already on Horseback who gave him this Answer That being assured that the Detachement of the Turks toward Barcam was not considerable he saw no Inconvenience that could happen by continuing his March So that the Duke perceiving the King's Resolution was constrain'd to follow leaving only a Regiment of Croats to attend the Foot But the King of Poland was sooner advanc'd within an Hours March of Barcam but he was informed by some of the first Troops of his Vanguard that some Squadrons of the Enemy appear'd Upon which he ordered a Detachement to repel them which was vigorously done while the Turkish Cavalry gave ground but being seconded by a greater Number the Polish Troops that fell on first were repulsed themselves to whose relief the King at the same time sent some other Squadrons And now the Fight being equal he advanced himself with all his Horse But then it was that the Body of the Enemies Cavalry to the Number of between Seven and Eight Thousand Men which till then lay cover'd behind a great Hill appeared when the King least dreamt of their being so near So that before the Polanders could put themselves into Order of Battel they were Charged so briskly both in Front and Flank that they were constrain'd to fly and leave behind them their Baggage and some Colours The Duke of Lorrain being informed that the Enemy was Engaged with the Polanders hasten'd to their Aid But he soon found upon his Arrival that the Polish Horse were utterly Broken and that the Turks pursued them close at the Heels The first thing therefore that he did was to range the foremost of the Imperial Troops which he had no sooner done but he advanced toward the Enemy and his appearance put them into such a Consternation that they immediately betook themselves to flight and retir'd under the Guns of Barcam The King of Poland was so far advanced and in many places so openly exposed on purpose to encourage his Men by his own Example that for some time 't was thought he had been taken by the Infidels for he was one of the last that retreated and that a long time too after the Duke of Lorrain had routed the Ottoman Troops And indeed such was the Terror that still continued among the Polanders notwithstanding their Fortunate Rescue that the Presence of the King who was thought to have been taken Prisoner could not quite recover 'em out of the Amaze they were in The Losses they had sustain'd and the Hazards they had run had so terrified their Senses that the Principal Officers of the Army began to perswade the King to alter his Design of Attacking Barcam and to bethink himself of taking up his Winter Quarters Upon which the Duke of Lorrain who had some Intimation what Counsel the King had given him presently hasten'd to his Quarters where the Reasons he alleadged for the easie making themselves Masters of that Fort were so prevalent and convincing that a Resolution was taken to Attack the Fort and to that purpose to March the next day But the same Night his Majesty of Poland having received Intelligence that the Turkish Detachement had been reinforced by some Bodies Commanded by the Bassa's of Aleppo and other Places and fearing that those Troops were followed by the rest of the Ottoman Army began to deliberate anew upon the Enterprize so lately resolv'd upon Till the Duke having made it manifestly appear to him that the Enemies whole Army could not possibly be arrived before Barcam and that though it were yet there was no reason for that to alter the Design they determined at last to Attack it and march'd toward the Enemy at the Head of both Armies Nor did the Turks who were Drawn up in a Plain stay till they were Attackt themselves but briskly gave the first Charge upon the Left Wing of the Polanders with so much Bravery that the whole Wing began to give ground But the Duke of Lorrain having quitted his Lines to fly to their Succor rallied them with so much speed and bring himself at the Head of some German Horse fell upon the Enemy with that fury that being well seconded by the Polanders he put them to a total Rout and Count de Dunewald having Orders to pursue them they were chac'd to the Gates of Barcam with a Loss far greater than that which the Grand Visier sustain'd at Vienna For besides the dreadful Slaughter of the Turks in the Battel one of the Bridges over which the Fugitives crouded to get into the Fort falling down with the weight of the Throng an infinite Number were Drowned in the Danaw This Opportunity was too favourable not to make the best of it immediately Therefore the Christian Army advanced and the Duke caused a Battery to be raised from whence the Christians play'd so furiously upon the Fort that the Garison hung out a white Flag desired to Capitulate and Surrendred upon Composition However that could not prevent the Polonians from cutting the Garison in pieces which very much troubled the Duke of Lorrain who had received the Capitulation 'T is thought that of Fourteen or Fifteen Thousand Turks that were advanced for the Relief of Barcam there hardly Escaped Four Thousand and that there were above a Thousand Prisoners taken among whom were two Bassa's and some Aga's of Janisaries * The Fort of Barcam Surrendred to the D. of Lorrain the 9th of October 1683. within less than a Month after the Siege
pleas'd to shew him such an extraordinary Affection in an Affair of so high a Concern However he could not forbear from breaking forth into a vehement Indignation against the Author of his Misfortune He told the Gentleman that it proceeded from the foul Practices of the King of France and the subtle Artifices of his Publick Minister who had frustrated his Design yet that perhaps he should not be always so unhappy but that one day he might be Reveng'd of a Prince that seem'd only to be Born to trouble him and all the World beside In short upon his departure from the Frontiers of Poland where he lay he return'd to Vienna where at the very Moment of his arrival he besought the Emperor to permit him to rejoyn the Imperial Army in Flanders under the Command of the Count de Souches Nor did the Emperor whom the Prince had incens'd against France after an extraordinary manner think fit to detain him that Campagne as he had purpos'd to do So that leaving Vienna with all speed imaginable he came time enough to be at the Battel of Seneff one of the most memorable that have happen'd in this Age. The desire which the Prince had to signalize himself at such a time and to render himself formidable to France caus'd him to expose himself equally to the meanest Souldier in the Army The Signal of Battel was no sooner given but he threw himself into the thickest of his Enemies with a contempt of danger not to be exprest And his presence prov'd fatal to several of the French But as it was impossible that a Prince who expos'd himself so openly as he did should scape without a Wound he receiv'd a Gash in the Head which forc'd him to retire out of the Battel But how dangerous soever the Wound were he was in a Condition to act again the next Campagne in Germany where Marshal Turenne Commanded the French Army Against him the Emperor had oppos'd Montecuculi who would not take charge of the Imperial Army the year before because he would not be Subservient to the Duke of Brandenburgh Now in regard that Turenne and Montecuculi were both Experienc'd Generals that were shie one of another they only watch'd one anothers Motions at first Montecuculi pass'd and repass'd the Rhine several times making a shew as if he intended to sit down before Philipsburgh which bridl'd the Palatinate Marshal Turenne coasted along the River on Strasburgh side during the movements of the Confederate Army But in regard he mistrusted Strasburgh though that City had enter'd into a Neutrality some time before he resolv'd himself to pass the Rhine with his whole Army This was an attempt which the Confederates thought impossible in regard their Army was more numerous than the French In short Marshal Turenne having laid a Bridge over the River against a certain place environ'd with a Wood and Hills the Imperialists thought it was only a design to pass over one part since they could not see which way he could get his Carriages and Baggage to follow him But in regard that Turenne had accustom'd his Soldiers to all sorts of Labour the obstacle which the Imperialists believ'd invincible was soon remov'd So that his Army having pass'd the Rhine he presently made himself Master of Wildstat designing to tire out the Imperialists who presently march'd toward Offenburgh Montecuculi fearing least the French should attempt that place And indeed the Imperial Army suffer'd great Hardships in regard that they were depriv'd of their Communication with Strasburgh Nor did the French suffer less for want of Victuals but chiefly of Forage which began to grow so scarce that the Horses had nothing for above Eight days but Leaves from the Trees In the mean time because the Bridge which Marshal Turenne had laid over the Rhine extreamly annoy'd the Imperialists and that it was of great importance to make themselves Masters of it the Prince of Lorrain and Count Caprara undertook to effect it To which purpose they resolv'd to fall upon the French Army one on the one side and the other on the other side while two other Detachments made a false Attack upon two other Posts Thereupon they march'd all Night having each of them between Three and Four Thousand Horse and Dragoons The Prince of Lorrain was to fall upon the Enemies Rear and perform'd his Duty accordingly but not being seconded by the other Detachements who were to Attack the French Camp in several parts at the same time as was concluded upon he was forc'd to Retreat because he perceiv'd a great Body of the choicest of the French Troops advancing toward him For Marshal Turenne having lin'd all the Lanes through which the Prince was to pass the Prince was constrain'd to clear his way before he could pass any farther However he made a shift to force two or three Posts of the Enemies and to kill about Four Hundred of their Men and take several Prisoners of Note among whom was Traci Major General of the Infantry He also brought away three Colours and among the rest the Standard of the Kings Dragoons So that although the Prince could not make himself Master of the Bridge as he design'd yet the Honour which he won in that Conflict was very great as the French and Turenne himself acknowledg'd as well for the vigorous Attack as the orderly and Soldier-like Retreat which he made Now the two Armies lying so near each other there past not a day without some skirmishes but they came not to a general Battel though there were great scarcity of Victuals as well in Turenne's as Montecuculi's Army which one would have thought should have forc'd the two Generals to have fought for their Bread But being both unwilling to put it to a venture unless they could have found their Advantages which it was a hard matter to do both Generals being so well acquainted with each others Conduct they only contented themselves with slight Skirmishes for fear of being too precipitate Nevertheless Montecuculi being no longer able to contend with those Distresses under which his Army labour'd made one motion which caus'd Marshal Turenne to believe he had a purpose to give him Battel And therefore as he was covetous of nothing more than of Honour so he sought all opportunities to acquire it though never any General had a more Illustrious or more dilated Reputation Desirous therefore of Victory he remov'd without losing time to a Hill where he design'd to plant a Battery But as he was giving directions to St. Hilaire Lieutenant General of the Artillery how to dismount the Imperialists great Guns he was shot with a Cannon Bullet which caus'd a great Consternation in the French Army and forc'd them to repass the Rhine Montecuculi desirous to make his Advantage of the Terrour which he judg'd the Enemy was in resolv'd upon a vigorous pursuit and first he fell upon Wildstat and regain'd it With that the Count de Lorges who together with
presently hung out white and red Colours to signifie an offer either of Peace or War yet withal to shew that he was rather inclin'd to Peace than War But all these Devices prov'd ineffectual for the Duke advancing with his Army laid close Siege to the Town The beginning of the Enterpize was successful enough for three or four days after the Imperial Army had passed the Neckar the City was begirt the great Guns were upon the Battery ready to Play and the Duke had sent the Bassa a Summons To which the Bassa return'd a haughty Answer That he should understand what Persons they were to whom the Grand Signior entrusted his Garisons and having taken some Prisoners in a Sally which he made to his loss after he had immediately put them to death he hung up their Heads over the Walls of the Town Nevertheless that was so far from discouraging the Besiegers who had serv'd the Turks which they took Prisoners after the same manner that they had carried on their Works so far that they were just ready to open their Trenches But then it was that the Duke received Orders to raise the Siege upon certain Intelligence which the Emperor sent him that the Grand Visier was advancing with all the speed he could toward Newhausel with an Army of above Two hundred thousand Men so that the Duke was constrain'd to rise from before the Town Most certain it is that the Duke was very much troubled to abandon a Victory of which he thought himself secure But it was a Misfortune for which there was no Remedy For in short the Grand Signior himself came to Belgrade where the Grand Visier receiv'd from his Hands the Standard which the Turks believe was given to Mahomet by the Angel Gabriel And then it was that the Ottoman Army consisting of several sorts of Nations marchâ—d with so much speed that the Duke was in danger of being surpriz'd All that he could do in the Extremity to which he was reduc'd was to lodge as many of his Foot as it was possible in certain Houses about a quarter of a League from Newhausel to favour his Retreat after which he beat a March and retreated towards Comorra which he reinforced with a considerable Relief Nevertheless in regard the Turks advanc'd he continu'd his March to the Island of Schutt and having pass'd the Raab upon a Bridge which he caus'd to be laid over the River he encamp'd in a very Advantageous Post Which he had no sooner done but the Enemy appear'd and encamp'd between Alba Regalis and the City of Raab there being only the River from whence the Town derives its Name between both Armies which caus'd a very great Consternation at first among the Imperialists While the two Armies lay looking one upon another the Tartars who made up a Body of Thirty thousand Men under the Command of their Cham having drawn out a very numerous Detachement swam the River and ravag'd all before 'em with Fire and Sword as far as the River Leithe which separates Hungary from Austria Which Incursion of those Barbarians together with the Horrible Cruelties which they committed sparing neither Age nor Sex put the Duke into a deep study what course to take For besides that the Forces which he had remaining with him after so many great Detachements which he had been forc'd to part with to reinforce the Garisons of Raab and Comorra were reduced to no more than Four and twenty Thousand Men he could not without imminent Danger expose himself to be environ'd by the Enemy and Attack'd on every side and therefore after he had call'd a Council of War he dislodg'd from his Post and retreated toward Vienna though not without some difficulty The Army was upon its March toward the Island of Schutt when the Duke receiv'd Intelligence that the Turks had also Decamp'd and that Six thousand Hungarians of the Emperor's Forces commanded by the Counts of Dralkowitzs and Budiani who guarded a considerable Pass were gone over to the Male-Contents and had left the Pass open to the Turks This News strook an extraordinary terror into the Imperialists but that which augmented their Consternation was this that besides that the Parties which were sent out to discover the Enemy return'd in great disorder and sometimes without half their number they heard that the Turks Burnt all before 'em and exercis'd unheard of Hostilities And the Consternation was so general that the Duke had much ado to get his Detachements to venture out to observe the Enemy Nevertheless his Army still advanc'd and march'd in very good order But upon advice that the Enemy was within a League of a River which the Army was to cross the Cavalry retreated to avoid the Fury of the Turks and forsook the Foot notwithstanding all that the Officers could do to hinder ' em The Duke did all that could be expected from a Person of his Courage and Experience to bring back the Cowardly Fugitives but while he was using all imaginable Perswasions to make them sensible of their Honour and their Duty the Enemy had already overtaken and fallen upon his Rear-guard so that all he had now to do was to save his Foot And first of all the Baggage belonging to the Duke of Saxon Lawenbergh Prince Louis of Baden Count Caprara and Montecuculi were Plundred and the Waggoners and Guards cut to pieces and the same Troops animated with their number and the flight of the Imperial Cavalry began to fall upon the Imperial Infantry and make a most horrible Slaughter But the Duke who gave himself over for lost and was resolv'd to die like a Great General or save his Infantry after he had encourag'd the Officers to follow him made his way through the thickest of his Enemies to their Relief upon which the Infantry that were just ready to give ground and to which some of the Horse had by this time joyn'd animated by the Example of their General fought with that fury that the Turks who never expected such an Alteration and were for the most part busie in packing up the Booty which they got were so amaz'd that they betook themselves to flight and the Duke having brought off his Men let 'em go not thinking it safe to pursue them but pursuing his March got safe at length to the Island of Leopolstadt under the Canon of Vienna where the rest of the Cavalry waited for him And now the first thing which the Turks did after the Duke's Retreat was to lay Siege to Raab But the Grand Visier looking upon the winning of that Conquest not to be worth his while left the Care of that Siege to the Bassa of Buda and march'd directly for Vienna But the Siege of that City was a thing of too great Consequence to be undertaken without considering well beforehand The Grand Visier therefore call'd a Council of War to consult upon this Enterprize where most were for deferring the Siege of Vienna till the next Campagne and
the Besiegers caused on the one side the most Prodigious Noises of Havock and Destruction sufficient to astonish the most undaunted on the other side the continual Peals of Cannon and Stone Mortar-Pieces from the Besieged accompanied with Showers of Arrows Darts Bombs and other Instruments of Death which they rolled from the top of the Breaches where they stood with their Bodies exposed without any shelter to all Varieties of Death gave the Christians to understand that they had to do with Men fully determin'd to sell their Lives at a dear rate The Imperialists were they that advanced the farthest and lodged themselves where the Besieged were entrench'd but they had much ado to preserve the Posts which they had won by reason of the Mines which the Enemy continually Sprung so that you might see two or three Hundred Men blown up into the Air at a time And the Resistance which the Besieged made was so great that the Imperialists that came on to the Assault were repulsed no less than three times with considerable loss Which the Duke of Lorrain perceiving from the place where he gave his Orders advanced himself to the foot of the Breach with fresh Succors to relieve the rest And his Presence animated the Soldiers in such a manner that seeing their General exposing his Person like the meanest of them to the most apparent Dangers and aâ— hand to give a Testimony of their Actions they forced the Infidels out of their Lodgments and gain'd a Roundel upon which depended in a manner the taking of the Town Nor had the Elector of Bavaria and the Troops of Brandenburgh less success in the Assaults which they made then the Duke of Lorrain on his side This Assault which was the second that was given lasted about three hours at what time Night coming on would not permit them to advance any farther The Duke himself was also wounded the last time in the Leg with a Stone and his Assistant Camp-Master-General was killed close by him And now all things were ready prepared to carry the Place by Storm But the Duke of Lorrain deeming it convenient for the Service of the Emperor to avoid that Extremity sent a second time to Summon the Bassa to surrender And then the Bassa who began already to fear the worst was grown somewhat more humble in his Language then formerly Thereupon he wrote two Letters one directed to the Duke of Lorrain the other to the Elector of Bavaria Wherein after he had represented the Importance of the Preservation of Buda to the Ottomans as being both the Key of Constantinople and Jerusalem so that he could not resolve to surrender it into the Hands of the Christians he proposed to the two Generals the choice of any other City in Hungary which he would deliver into their Possession provided they would at the same time raise the Siege and make a general Peace But that Proposal being rejected they prepared for a third general Assault which was accordingly given three days after at what time the Imperialists advanced their Lodgments to the Foot of the third Wall which environed the City though not without the loss of a great many Men. But while the Town was thus streighten'd and the Besieged reduced to the last Extremity the Ottoman Army came boldly on with a purpose either to put Relief into the Town or force the Christians in their Lines And it was believed that Mahomet IV. would have appeared at the Head of that Army But Solyman whom he had wholly engaged by conferring upon him the Charge of Grand Visier which was That he gap'd after diverted him from the Expedition by laying before him that he could not march without a numerous Train of useless Persons and by consequence a great Number of his Forces that were to be otherwise employ'd would be taken off from all other Service but that of Guarding his Person So that his Highness submitting to those and some other Reasons which he alledg'd retir'd to Constantinople and the Grand Visier took upon him the Command of the Army with a new Serasquier whom he sent before with Twenty thousand Men and follow'd him with Thirty thousand more and Forty Pieces of Cannon expecting some other Recruits to joyn him So that the Ottoman Army upon the Conjunction of the Tartars which happen'd in a short time after was about a Hundred thousand Men. With this Army the Grand Visier presented himself several times in view of the Enemies Camp sent several of his Detachements of the choicest of his Men and by surprize put in some small Succors into the Town But in regard it was not the Bassa's design to come to a Battel he only fought in Parties for several Months insomuch that his Army as numerous as it was at the beginning being much weakened and discouraged and by degrees brought to so sad a Condition as not to be able to make any attempt upon the Lines of the Christians who on the other side were greatly encouraged by the continual Advantages which they daily won over the Detachements which the Grand Visier exposed to their Victorious Swords the Duke of Lorrain resolv'd to try the Issue of a 4th Assault for the Mastery of the Town 'T is true the Advice of some of the Generals was to give the Grand Visier Battel for fear least while they were busied in the Assault the Turks should endeavour to force their Lines and they be in danger of being themselves Besieged But the Duke of Lorrain making it evident by several Reasons that there was nothing to be feared on that side That besides there was a kind of Confidence in the Christians which did in a manner assure them of Victory and that moreover the hope of Pillage would make them Fight with more vigour against the Town than against the Enemy in the Field where there was nothing to be got but Blows his Advice was immediately followed and all things prepared ready for the Onset Immediately Thirty thousand Horse and Foot were drawn out of the Lines and put in Order of Battel in a Plain opposite to the Front of the Ground which the Enemies possessed The Duke of Lorrain's Design being to amuse the Enemy by making as if he intended to Attack them and by that means to put them out of hopes of making any Advantage of the Time spent in the Assault or of endeavouring to force the Christians Lines and it fell out as was intended For the Visier whether he were secure of any Success in the Assault or whether he were afraid to fight the Christian Forces never budged out of his Camp The next day therefore the Besiegers gave the Onset after the Duke of Lorrain the Elector of Bavaria and General Schoning who commanded the Brandenburgers in their several Attacks had given all such Orders as they thought Necessary Never was any Assault pursued with more Vigor and undaunted Courage and never did Garison better defend it self than that of Buda at that time
sent another to secure Siclos and Five-Churches and then resolv'd to have besieged Sigeth But the same Reasons that frustrated his Design before he had pass'd the Drave caus'd him to give it over the second time After which he had a purpose to have pass'd the Danaw over the Bridge which had been built near Mohats But that March was put off upon fresh Intelligence that the Grand-Visier had pass'd the Bridges near Esseck with his whole Army So that now he resolv'd once more to march toward the Infidels and try if he could provoke 'em to an Engagement After the Retreat of the Duke of Lorrain the Grand-Visier was once in a mind to have pursu'd the Imperialists but then again believeing that this Retreat was but feign'd to draw him out of his Entrenchments he let them retreat without any disturbance But then again as firmly believing that the Retreat of the Christians was a real Flight he quitted the Fastness where he lay and encamp'd near Darda Nevertheless there being nothing which he dreaded more then to come to Handy-Stroaks with the Christians he took great care to entrench himself and kept himself very quiet in his Camp On the other side the Duke of Lorrain who saw that the Visier avoided fighting and that there was no probability of drawing him out of his Trenches unless he made use of some Stratagem caus'd his Army sometimes to advance sometimes to retreat as if he had been afraid of the Enemy He made several Detachements some of which pass'd the Danaw others march'd towards Siclos and Sigeth with Orders however not to remove from the Camp above a Leagues distance But all these Counterfeit shews proving fruitless and the Duke besides seeing that his Men could not subsist in the Place where they were he resolv'd to retreat in good earnest and the Resolution was no sooner taken but he began to decamp The Visier not being able hitherto to penetrate the meaning of so many Motions of the Christian Army began to believe at last that the Duke thought himself too weak to attack him and that his flight was a sign that he had no desire to fight So that being eager to make the best of the Advantage which he thought he had he hasten'd out several Detachements to fall upon the Rear and Baggage of the Imperialists and afterwards causing a greater number of Men to advance the fight began insensibly Presently Ten thousand Spahi's and five thousand Janisaries appear'd who march'd directly against the Left Wing of the Imperialists where the Duke of Bavaria commanded with Prince Lewis of Baden And these two great Bodies of Turkish Horse and Foot were preceded by another great Body of Cavalry whose charge was vigorously receiv'd by General Dunewald In a moment after that the Janisaries posted themselves upon a rising Ground with some Pieces of Cannon charg'd with Car-touches which very much endammag'd the Left Wing at what time the Ten thousand Spahi's began to come on But then the Duke of Bavaria who saw that now the Turks had a design to fight extended the Front of his Wing proportionably as he saw that the Enemy extended theirs And indeed the Turks fell on briskly and vigorously But the Duke of Bavaria stood the Shock like a great Captain and though he expos'd himself as much as any Common Soldier and flew about from one place to another he receiv'd only a slight Wound in the Hand with a Musket Bullet While the Left Wing was thus engag'd the Duke of Lorrain drew up the Right Wing in the form of a Half Moon the right Horn of which extended to the Enemies Flank with whom they were already in close fight and the left Horn extended toward a Body of Spahi's and Janisaries that were thundring down upon ' em The Combat was long and Bloody and it was observable that the Turks fought in much better Order than they us'd to do and with much more Courage but for all that they were forced to give ground The Grand-Visier who never thought the Fight would have begun so soon or that his Detachements would have charg'd the Christian Army with so much precipitancy had not drawn up all his Men in Battel Array or rather not imagining that the Christians would have made that Resistance which they did was in such a hurry such a strange amaze and gave his Orders so confusedly that it was impossible for those that receiv'd 'em to put 'em in execution which caus'd such a disorder among the Turks that the Duke and the Elector knew well how to make their best advantage of it So that while they were in that Confusion they overturn'd whole Squadrons one upon another and while Friends routed Friends made a miserable slaughter among ' em On the other side the Grand-Visier who was afraid of what he saw and could not prevent it with all his Precautions flew from place to place where there was most danger to rally his Men which he did in some measure but in regard it was impossible he should be every where the Turks gave ground in many places and the Field was soon clear'd by the Christians for those of the Turks who had made the stoutest resistance and fought with most fury lost their ground by degrees and at length betook themselves all to flight They were pursu'd to their Camp where the greatest part were cut to pieces and they that escap'd the Victor being chac'd from their Entrenchments were driv'n like Sheep as far as the Drave where they had been all cut to pieces had not the night been more favourable to them This Battel was fought very near the same place where the famous Battel of Mohats was fought in the year 1526 at what time Soliman the Second slew about Twenty thousand Christians among whom was Lewis the Second King of Hungary All the Enemies Artillery consisting of Fourscore Pieces of Cannon and twelve Mortars became a Prey to the Victor with all their Provisions and Riches The Turks so little expected this defeat that their Wagons were found without Horses their Elephants and Camels in their Stalls and their Tents standing The Duke of Bavaria who enter'd among the first into their Camp pusht on forward to the Grand Signior's Tent which was easily known by the Richness of it and other Marks particular to the Generals of the Infidels where he found a little Chest wherein were about Two Millions in Gold and Jewels And in this Tent it was that Te Deum was sung two days afterwards for joy of the Victory and so they decamp'd the next day for fear of infection from the stench of the dead Bodies For 't is verily believ'd the Turks lost near Twelve thousand Men in this Battel At the same time also that the Christians gain'd this considerable Victory in Hungary the Serasquier of the Morea was defeated by Count Coningsmark and the Rout of that General occasion'd such a Consternation among the Turks that they quitted Patras the Castles
to see accomplish'd after an Obstruction of that Nature All People agree That the Reasons which oblig'd the King of France to give such rigorous Orders in reference to the Duke of Lorrain was the Apprehension which he had that if the Prince should stay too long in Paris he would visit the Princess so often that she would make such Evidences appear as would speak aloud to all the World that they were Married and it was the King's Interest to break the Marriage there being no other way for him to disengage himself from the Promise he had made the Prince upon his signing the Contract by which he bound himself to acknowledge him the Sole Heir that was capable to Succeed to the Dukedoms of Lorrain and Barr after the Death of Charles IV. which was a clear disannulling of the Donation made of the same Dutchies by the Treaty of Montmarre But to return to the Prince of Lorrain he had engag'd himself so imprudently in his Journey to Paris that he had not half Money enough left to supply his Necessities and Madam the Dutchess of Orleance of whom he had desir'd to borrow was forc'd to acknowledge that she was not in a Condition to furnish him at present in regard her Family was now no Richer than under the Ministry of Cardinal Mazarine So that the Prince was constrain'd to accept of the Dutchesses good will not daring to delay his Departure He was no sooner out of Paris but he posted in all hast to the Frontiers of France taking thence the Road to Luxemburgh where he made a short stay till he could find some body so charitable as to furnish him with Money and indeed he was very hard put to it to find a Creditor but at length a Knight who was altogether unknown to him having Lent him Two hundred Crowns he return'd to the Emperor with a Design to apply himself wholly to his Service For as for the Duke his Uncle he saw well it would be to no purpose to sollicit him to permit his Return to Lorrain more especially when he should come to understand the ill Success of his Voyage to Paris The Emperor received the Prince with infinite marks of his Affection He testified his Sorrow for his being so ill entertain'd by the Duke his Uncle and the King of France and promised him his Protection as he had done before Soon after his Arrival at the Court of Vienna the War brake out in Hungary between the Emperor and the Turks I shall not enter into the Particulars of that War at what time the Grand Visier appear'd at the Head of a Formidable Army and in the last Battel that was fought left behind him Eight thousand Men slain upon the Place besides those that were swallowed up in the River of Raab Now in regard all Christendom was concern'd in this War all the Christian Princes sent their Forces to joyn with the Emperors and France among the rest furnished his Imperial Majesty with a considerable Assistance of Men that did him signal Service And then it was that the Prince of Lorrain to whom the Emperor had already given an old Regiment of a Thousand Horse perceiving there were in the French and other Troops a great number of Young Gentlemen who had undertaken a long Journey to signalize their Courage in that War found the Incitements of his Emulation so importunate that he besought his Imperial Majesty to let him try his Fortune the next Campagne But because of the great hazards he was to run in regard the Ottoman Army was prodigiously numerous besides that the Prince was not then above Twenty years of Age the Emperor thought it not fit at that time to grant him his Request So that the Prince saw himself compell'd to abide at Vienna while others were gaining Honour in the Field However not being able to over-rule himself to give Obedience to the Emperor in those Commands that seem'd to curb him in the Acquisitions of Future Fame he privately withdrew from the Court and got to the Army The Turks had then besieged the Fort of Serini so that the Prince thought he should be soon enough to joyn the Succour that was already sent to relieve that Place But the Fort being won much sooner than was expected he was frustrated of those Hopes Nevertheless in regard his Mind gave him that he should signalize himself in that Campagne he met with an Opportunity wherein he behav'd himself after an extraordinary manner A Body of Seven or Eight thousand Turks of the most resolute in the Grand Signior's Army being Commanded by the Grand Visier to cross a River that separated the Ottoman from the Christians Camp with a design to surprize them so furiously assail'd the Right Wing of the Imperial Army that they began to give ground without making any considerable resistance Which cast such a terror among the Imperialists that General Montecuculi being at his Wits end to see so bad a Beginning of a Fight was glad to bring on the Left Wing to renew the Combat Among whom the first that Montecuculi met was the Prince of Lorrain So that in regard he had no time to lose and that he could not make choice of what Men he pleas'd he only told the Prince that in the Unfortunate Conjuncture wherein he found himself he was constrain'd to oppose his Regiment against the Fury of the Turks till he could cause others to advance only that which troubled him beyond Expression was to see the Danger to which of necessity he must expose himself to save the Honour of the Christians To which the Prince made as short a reply That he was overjoy'd to meet with an opportunity to venture his Life that he was only to direct him where he should Charge and that he would infallibly Perish or repel the Enemy Adding withal That nothing griev'd him so much as that he wanted Five hundred Men of his own Regiment which were sent to secure the Forragers however they that follow'd him had so much Courage that he made no doubt but they would give that day more than ordinary proofs of their Valour The General finding himself in a great straight and greatly encourag'd by the generous Prowess of the youthful Prince told him where he should fall on And with that although the Turks were four to one resolved to Die or Vanquish he broke in among the Turks with so much Vigour and such a Presence of Mind that the old Officers of his Regiment were amaz'd at such a first Essay of Valour It would be a difficult thing to represent the Heat and Fury with which the Prince fought For in regard he met with stout Resistance in the second Squadrons that reliev'd the former he was constrain'd to charge the Enemy three or four times before he could make them give ground And he must have given way at length had not the Marquis of Coligny General of the French Horse order'd the Count of Fueillade to advance
to no purpose For the Marquis made Answer That having done nothing but by the Emperors Order which he produc'd in Writing he could neither set the Prince at Liberty nor restore the Money without a new Order from his Imperial Majesty This so enrag'd the King of France that he Commanded his Ambassadors to tell those from the King of Sweden that they had Order to return and that he was resolv'd to be Reveng'd by force of Arms for the Injury done to himself and the Elector of Cologne's Plenipotentiary Thus the French Ambassadors departed and then it was to no purpose for the rest to stay any longer But the Advantage which the King of France got by this Rupture was this that having over-perswaded the King of Sweden that the Confederates had no value for him That in scorn of his Mediation they had seiz'd upon Prince William and refus'd to release him at his Request and that it was himself indeed that had received the Affront by these Artifices he engag'd him to his Interest This Violence upon the Person of Prince William and the Injury which the King of France had receiv'd in particular made all men believe that there would be no Peace in hast in Europe and that the King of France would never consent to renew the Negotiation Nevertheless at the Request of the King of England whose Mediation was generally approv'd of by all the Princes that were interested in that War since the Swedes had declar'd for France and at the earnest Sollicitation of the Bishop of Strasburgh who openly declar'd that he preferr'd the Advantages of Peace before the Liberty of the Prince his Brother the King was prevail'd upon to let the Reasons of his Honour give way to those of his Interest And having accepted Nimeghen for the Place of Treaty he sent thither for his Plenipotentiaries the D. of Vitry M. Colbert and the Count d' Avaux Now in regard there was a Necessity for granting Passports on both sides for the Ambassadors of the Princes concern'd all Germany being up in Arms and the King of France also granted a Passport for the Duke of Lorrain's Plenipotentiaries wherein he call'd him Cousin and barely Prince of Lorrain Upon which the Duke refus'd the Passport and complain'd to the King of England That the King of France had not given him his Titles of Brother and Duke of Lorrain The King of England to remove this Obstacle propos'd to the Confederates that he might grant all the Passports himself and to facilitate the Success of this Expedient he wrote to the Emperor and caus'd a Memorial to be Presented to the States General wherein he set forth the Reasons which had oblig'd him to propound this Expedient as he had done in his Letter to the Emperor But his Imperial Majesty made Answer that the Proposal could not be accepted that things were to be done in due form and that the King of France could not alter the usual Style of Passports but must give to every one the Titles that belong'd to ' em The States General went higher for they spoke out in plain terms and which also serv'd for an Answer to the King of England that the Confederates and themselves were very much surpriz'd that the King of France should not give Prince Charles the Title of Duke of Lorrain considering that the Treaty in the Year 1662 by which he was lawfully possessed of the Dutchies of Lorrain and Bar could not be lookt upon but as null and void as being in the first place concluded with a Prince who had no Right or Power besides that in the second place it was notoriously known that the King had never perform'd that Treaty nor the Clause which Charles IV. inserted which was one of the Principal Things contain'd in it They added That the King of France had made no mention of the Treaty 1662. in that of 1663. And that having after the Death of Charles IV. granted Permission to those of his House to give him the Title of Duke of Lorrain their Wonder was so much the more that he should refuse the same Title to the new Duke and by that means put a stop to a Peace which all Europe so vehemently thirsted after The King answer'd all these Objections But in regard it was his Interest that the Peace should be concluded after he had declar'd that the Titles either given or omitted could do him no Prejudice he caus'd another Passport to be drawn wherein he gave the New Duke the Title of Brother and Duke of Lorrain Upon which the Duke wrote the following Letter to the States General High and Potent Lords THe Constancy which your High and Mightinesses have shown in the Support of my Interest till this very time in Pursuance of the Alliance into which you have done me the Honour to admit me having constrain'd the King of France to allow me those Titles which God and Nature has given me I find my self oblig'd to testifie to your High and Mightinesses my Joy and my Acknowledgment not only in regard of my particular Interests but much more by reason of the Satisfaction your Highnesses receive when they find their Designs successful Nevertheless as all your Cares have been of my Interests I desire you to believe that I shall acknowledge them to the utmost of my Power as long as I live and that if at present any Opportunity should present it self to give you Proofs of my sincerity I should be passionately desirous to lay hold of it This the sincere Protestation of c. Charles Lorrain The French Army that lay in Alsatia was to be commanded this Year 1676. by the Duke of Luxemburgh whom the King had preferr'd before the Prince of Condé by means of the Intreagues of Monsieur de Louvois who was no Friend to the Prince and the Imperial Army was to be commanded by the Duke of Lorrain For Montecuculi having got leave to retire to Vienna had resign'd his Command by Order of the Emperor Toward the beginning of the Campagne therefore the Duke of Luxemburgh departed from Schelestadt at the Head of near Fifty thousand Men and after seven or eight days March Encamp'd his Army upon fresh Intelligence that the Duke of Lorrain was coming against him with an Army not much inferiour in number to his and that he was just upon passing the Saar He could not believe at first that the Duke had any design to fight him For in regard he was rather perswaded that the Duke would Besiege Philipsburgh which had been block'd up for some time he could not imagine he would venture a Battel But being confirm'd by some Prisoners that the Imperial Army continu'd their March he advanced himself with a numerous Detachement and gave Orders for the rest of the Army to follow him The Duke had already seiz'd upon a Rising Ground from whence he poured his small Shot upon the Enemy So that the Guard which Luxemburgh had caus'd to pass beyond
was of great importance for that being a very strong Hold built upon a Rock at the foot of the Danaw whoever was Master of it was also Master of the River and hindred all Provisions going to the Turks The New Visier therefore proud of the Eminent Dignity to which he was elevated and unwilling to neglect any thing for the effectual supply of this Place had no sooner joyn'd the Ottoman Forces but he caused a Body of the Army to march towards Buda for the security of that Place On the other side the Duke of Lorrain who had already repassed the Danaw and had intelligence that the Bassa of of Buda was advanced at the Head of Fifteen thousand Turks went himself to meet the Bassa and force him to a Battle And having met him near Weizen he fought him defeated him took his Cannon with several Colours a part of his Baggage and a great number of Prisoners and then made himself Master of the Place which yielded at Discretion after a vigorous Resistance of three or four hours * Weizen or Vaccia was taken June 28. 1684 and Pest some few days after These 2 Towns are seated upon the Danaw the latter so near Buda that it is commanded by it as being within the reach of the Cannon of that Town Pest which he afterwards attack'd ran the same fortune with Weizen for the Duke began to throw in his Bombs so furiously at first that the Place was constrained to open to him her Gates But the Duke stay'd not there Some few days after he routed the Ottoman Army near Buda where it was rang'd in Battle Array and then laid Siege to the City which before the Invasion of the Turks had been the Metropolitan of the Kingdom By these ill Successes there was such a Terrour spread among the Ottoman Forces that though their Army was as strong as that of the Duke of Lorrain's they durst not make any Detachement to oppose the Siege At the beginning of which the Imperialists possessed themselves of the Suburbs and some other Advantageous Posts from whence they drove the Enemy And after some days that the Siege had been laid they had so terribly batter'd the Town that there was a considerable Breach made in the Wall And these prosperous Beginnings begat great Hopes of a Fortunate Issue But the Grand-Visier being waken'd out of his Slumber sent an Army of Twenty thousand Turks under the Command of a Serasquier to Relieve the Place Of this the Duke of Lorrain had Intelligence and therefore fearing that if those Forces should advance too near he should be forced to raise his Siege he resolved to go and fight them To which purpose with a Detachement of Fifteen thousand Men he fell upon the Enemy at such an Advantage that no less than Four thousand were slain upon the Place and a great part of the rest were either wounded or taken Prisoners and those that escaped the hands of the Christians betook themselves to flight with so much dread and precipitation that they left behind 'em all their Baggage all their Ammunition all their Cannon and the Grand-Visiers Standard as at the raising the Siege of Vienna All this while they that were left in the Siege play'd furiously with their Great Guns upon the City and the Duke of Lorrain being returned to the Camp after the defeat of the Serasquier continued the Siege with great violence On the other side the Besieged for above two Months together made such bold and vigorous Sallies every day that the Imperial Army began to waste very much However all their Losses were no such hindrance but that they had gained a great deal of Ground that they had advanced even to the Rampart of the Town that they had sprung several Mines which had wrought wonderful Effects insomuch that the Breach which they had made was about thirty paces wide and that the Duke was inclin'd to have ventur'd a general Assault but falling sick at the same time he was constrained to retire and leave the Care of the Siege to the Count of Rabata who was a Person of great Knowledge and Experience and would by no means give his Advice to hazard any thing During the Duke of Lorrain's Indisposition of Body the Duke of Bavaria arriv'd at the Camp with a considerable Reinforcement and no sooner had he visited the Works and observ'd the Situation of the Place but he sent a Summons to the Governor to surrender the Town with a Promise of good Conditions And there was some hopes that the Governor finding himself so closely press'd upon and without any hopes of Relief while the Christian Army had received fresh Succors would not have refus'd so fair an Offer But he only answer'd the Duke of Bavaria with continual Sallies which much diminish'd the Christian Army though the Besieged in like manner sustained great Losses Upon this the Duke of Lorrain although he had not quite recovered his Health return'd to the Camp impatient to be Master of Buda But the face of Affairs was alter'd during his Sickness for the Serasquier was again approach'd the Place with new Forces and while the Besieged made continual Sallies on the one side the Ottoman Army attack'd the Christian Camp with numerous Detachements on the other so that the Duke of Lorrain's Army was not a little distrest as having to contend with Enemies before and behind at one time besides that by the favour of these Sallies which the Besieged made every day they several times receiv'd considerable Succors Nor could the Duke of Lorrain do what he could prevent the Enemy from putting in several times into the Town great quantities of Ammunition and Provisions So that at length after several Assaults several Bloody Sallies several Endeavours in vain and the loss of above Ten thousand Christians that perish'd in this Siege which lasted three months and a half the Serasquier having receiv'd a Reinforcement of Ten thousand Tartars and marching up directly to the Imperial Army made such desperate Attacks and they that were assail'd defended themselves with so much disadvantage that the Duke of Lorrain found it high time to think of retreating The Relief put into the Place the diminution of his Army the bad condition of his Men for want of Forage and Victuals the inconveniences of the Season and the little misunderstandings which were crept in among some of the Generals the flight of some part of the Hungarians and the extream hazard of a general Storm at what time there would be a necessity of fighting at the same moment with the Garison and against the Serasquier who was not far distant from the Dukes Entrenchments all these Considerations made the Duke determine to raise the Siege and to suffer his Courage to give way to his Prudence and good Conduct * Buda was besieged the 14th of July 1684. the Siege was rais'd the 1st of Novemb. of the same year Nevertheless it was not without a more
For the Serasquier afraid of being beaten by the Duke as he had been the Campagne before no sooner understood that the Duke was advancing towards him with his Forces but he raised the Siege of Gran and drew up all his Forces together So that the Duke found him ranged in Order of Battel with an Army of above Sixty thousand Men in a very advantageous Post For he had of each side Mountains covered with Wood before him a Marsh that extended as far as the Danaw upon the Banks of which he had begun his Entrenchments which he had carried on from the River to a rising Ground where he had Planted his great Guns The first days were only spent in Skirmishes while the Turks extended their Camp to the same Distance from the Marsh as that of the Christians lay stretching out their Right Wing along the Danaw and their Left upon the rising Grounds Now in regard that upon the News which the Duke of Lorrain had received that the Enemy had raised the Siege of Gran and that the Relief which he had sent to the Town was got in he was not obliged to pass the Marsh that lay between him and the Ottoman Army he thought it rather his Business to force the Serasquier to pass it himself and to draw him on to begin the Fight without being obliged to tire his own Soldiers but which way to do this he could not devise Thereupon a Council of War was called and then it was resolved that the Duke should counterfeit a hasty Flight to draw on the Serasquier to follow him Thereupon the Baggage was immediately sent away before toward the close of the Evening and the Imperialists about two hours after decamped No sooner was the Army upon their March but they heard a most hideous noise of Turkish Exaltation which made them conjecture that the Serasquier would be at their heels In short the Turkish General upon false Intelligence that the Christian Army was not above Twenty thousand Men had laboured might and main to fill up the Marsh and had passed it with a Design to give the Duke Battel and then to relieve Newhausel On the other side the Duke of Lorrain who had compassed his Design prepared for Battel and having caused his Army to face about he marched it all Night in Order of Battel toward the Enemy And by break of day there arose such a thick Fog that it was impossible for the Serasquier to observe the Number of the Christians nor the Order of their Army which did not contribute a little to the Victory which the Duke of Lorrain gained for he knew how to make his Advantage of it So soon as the Mist cleared up both Armies drew near one to another with a slow pace at first But at length the Turks coming down from the rising Grounds which they possest flew upon the Right Wing of the Christian Army commanded by the Prince of Baden with an incredible Fury but that Wing stood immoveable and immediately after the Left Wing commanded by the Elector of Bavaria was Charged with no less Resolution Which also with a superiour courage repelled the Infidels who then despairing to break into the Body assayed to force their Flank but that same Attempt deceiving their Expectations as being secured by the River Danaw they fell again upon Prince Louis of Baden Thereupon the Duke of Lorrain who perceived what the violent Attempts of the Turks aimed at ordered the Wing which he commanded to march with a slow pace with Instructions to receive the first firing of the Enemy without so much as discharging a Gun The same Directions were also given by the Duke of Bavaria to the Left Wing which he commanded So that after the Turks had discharged their first Vollies the Imperialists fired so thick upon them that they were forced to give ground Upon which the Duke of Lorrain to take the Advantage of their Disorder commanded his own Men to bear hard upon the Enemy yet not so furiously as to break their Ranks and at the same time ordered the Hungarians to follow the pursuit who being better acquainted with the Turkish manner of Fighting rally themselves more easily Upon that the Turks who had betaken themselves to flight so soon as they were out of reach of the Imperial Artillery began to rally again and turning Head against the Hungarians put them into some disorder and encouraged by this Advantage they returned to make a second Charge but were received with that Resolution by the Imperialists keeping their Ground that the greatest part of them that carried the Colours were slain at the Head of their Squadrons which put them again into disorder and obliged them to a second Flight In this hurly-burly and Danger wherein the Turks beheld themselves they threw themselves all on one side and flew upon the Duke of Lorrain's Wing with a Resolution to Flank it But the Duke perceiving their Design by their first Motions rendered it altogether ineffectual by redoubling the fire of the first Line as he saw the Turks come on At the same time also he gave Order to the Count de Dunewald to march on that side with the Squadrons and Batallions that were nearest the second Line And all his Orders were so exactly and so successfully obeyed that the Duke of Bavaria advancing at the same time with the Left Wing there began a most terrible confusion among the Turks who at last betook themselves to flight with so much consternation that they entangled themselves among the most difficult Passes of the Marsh Immediately the Duke ordered the pursuit to be made by a Detachement of Hungarians and Croats and some Squadrons of Dragoons and Horse which so much increased the disorder of the Turks that they lost above Two thousand Men before they could repass the Marsh The greatest part of the Janisaries who were engaged upon a rising Ground being forsaken by their Horse were all cut to pieces Nevertheless the Turks endeavoured to rally But the Duke of Lorrain having passed the Marsh with his Army by the same Passes through which the the Turks had Escaped as having made them passable themselves this put the Enemy into such a terrible consternation that they abandoned their Camp and sought their Safety in the nimbleness of their Heels And in this disorder impossible to be described it was that the Janisaries made no scruple to cut the Spahi's Throats for the sake of their Horses so that it may well be said that the Serasquier lost more Men through the Fright and Confusion that was among them then in the Fight where not above Three thousand were slain upon the Place with the loss of only Three hundred on the Dukes side In the Camp were found Four and twenty Pieces of Cannon some Mortars above a thousand Bombs a great Quantity of Ammunition and Provisions and a good number of Colours While the Duke of Lorrain was thus employ'd at the Battle of Gran the
Duke of Lorrain prosecuted his Victories in Hungary toward the total reducing of that Kingdom if his Health would permit him he found himself perfectly recover'd so that he felt himself in a Condition to leave Inspruck and attend the Emperor with his Counsels in order to the taking such Methods as were necessary for the carrying on the two great Designs And in regard there was nothing which the Duke more passionately desired than to Command in Germany so soon as he arrived at Vienna he used all his endeavours to make the Emperor alter his Resolutions protesting however at the same time That he had no other will but the Emperors That he was ready to march into Hungary and he agreed with his Imperial Majesty that his Presence was absolutely necessary in that Kingdom Nevertheless after he had made it appear that the Turks would not be in a condition to undertake any thing Considerable in regard the Ottomans were all raw Soldiers New rais'd Men or cow'd by the Victories of the Christians After he had laid before him that he wanted not Politick and wary Generals to oppose against the Ottoman Army but that the main Effort was to be made upon the Rhine where the King of France who had been a long time preparing for this War would not fail to employ the Choice and Flower of all his Forces His Imperial Majesty considering that the Dukes Presence was more necessary in Germany than in Hungary submitted to his Reasons and resolved at length after more mature deliberation to have two Armies in Germany the one Commanded by the Elector of Bavaria and the other by the Duke and to send Prince Lewis of Baden into Hungary who had signaliz'd himself in Bosnia where with four or five thousand men he totally defeated an Army of twenty thousand Turks At length the Season for Consultation and Preparations having given way to that of Action the Duke of Lorrain departed from Vienna and arrived with about fourteen or fifteen Thousand men near Coblentz where he was to joyn the Forces of the Elector of Saxony and the Landtgrave of Hesse The Elector of Bavaria marched toward the Upper Rhine with an Army of ten Thousand Bavarians Seven thousand Imperialists and four thousand Suabians while the Elector of Brandenburgh advanced toward Cleves with about Twenty thousand men of his own and the Bishop of Munster's These motions of the Confederate Armies were fatal to several Towns as Oppenheim Worms and Spire which had surrendred to the French and flater'd themselves that they should be dealt with no otherwise than according to the Laws of War but met with a destiny far more Cruel and Terrible than that of the Palatinate for they were not only utterly consumed by Fire but besides the Inhabitants who had been permitted to carry away the best of their Goods were exposed to the plunder and fury of the Soldiers For the French who during the last Wars had besieged and taken several Towns and Cities before their Enemies were in a condition to take the Field now quitted all those which they had surprised after the Siege of Philipsburgh except Bon Mayence Keyserwart and some other inconsiderable places but at the same time that they quitted 'em they set 'em on fire and of one of the most delightfull Countries of Europe made a vast and hideous Desart after they had committed such Acts of Barbarity and Inhumanity that after Ages will hardly believe During these Hostilities and Burnings the Confederate Princes did not sleep they Expell'd the French out of some Forts and petty places which they thought themselves able to keep they worsted them in several Encounters and Keyserwart which the Duke of Brandenburgh besieged surrendred in four days after he had opened his Trenches And now after so prosperous a Beginning which was taken for a good Omen all the Generals met at Francfort where they held a Council of War wherein after they had Unanimously resolved to give the Honour of the Command to the Duke of Lorrain with a promise that they would never sheath their Swords till they had restored him to his Dominions they agreed to besiege Mayence and Bon before they made any farther attempts since it was not safe to advance into the Enemies Country before they were Masters of those two Towns Mayence was no considerable Town before the King of France got possession of it but the Scituation of it was such as to be able to stop the Imperialists And therefore the King had no sooner secur'd it with a French Garison but he ordered it to be Fortify'd and the Marquis d'Uxelles who was appointed Governor continued the Work with so much assiduity that it is incredible how strong that City was become while the French had it in their hands And in regard it was expected that the Confederates would besiege it it was Garison'd with above Ten thousand men the best and choicest Soldiers under the best Officers of France However the difficulties of the Siege could not stop the Duke of Lorrain Upon the 16th of July he crossed a small River two Leagues below the Town with an Army of Twenty thousand men and presently caused four thousand Croats to advance whom the French durst not adventure to attacque tho' they were sally'd forth to meet them with a great Body of Horse The next day the Elector of Saxony and the Landtgrave of Hesse passed the Main above Mayence and posted their Men within Cannon-shot of the Town on that side where the Duke of Lorrain's Army began to encamp The 18th about three Thousand Country People wrought in the Approaches And the same day the French made a sally but were repulsed with extraordinary vigour by the Imperialists at what time the Duke of Bavaria being arrived in the Camp they prepared for a formal Siege and to batter the Town Not to stop upon the particulars of the Siege the Town was assaulted in three Places The Duke of Lorrain commanded one Attack and the Duke of Saxony and the Landtgrave of Hesse the other two The Besieged defended themselves desperately and their sallies were so frequent and so mettlesome that they often ruin'd in one what the Confederates had been toyling several days to Erect The Sixth of August when least expected they sallied out at Noon-day with about two thousand pickt men and fell with such fury upon the Saxons Quarter that they overturn'd all before 'em but the Duke of Lorrain hastning to the succour of the Elector the Imperialists animated by the Presence and Example of their General repell'd the French with so much vigour and fought with that fury that above twelve hundred men on both sides were number'd to cover the place with their dead Bodies But this same Sally was nothing in Comparison of another that followed some days after For in the two former they had made a dreadfull slaughter and cleared the Trenches and therefore those two Actions proving so successfull they resolved to try a third Sally
with three Thousand men Drums beating and Colours flying Now in regard that neither the Duke of Lorrain nor any of the rest of the Generals expected their Third Effort it caused no small Terror and Disorder in the Camp of which the Enemy taking their advantage fell on Pell-Mell upon four or five hunder'd men that sold their Lives at a dear Rate they nail'd two peices of Cannon and having fill'd up the Trenches of the Confederates posted their great Guard of Horse where the Besiegers had begun to open their Trenches But at length the several Generals having rally'd and re-encourag'd their Men they repell'd the Enemy cut to peices a great number of them and regain'd their Post And now the Duke of Lorrain being resolved to try whether he could carry the Town by Storm and fearing least the French should attempt to relieve it wrote to the Elector of Brandenburgh to send him some Regiments of his Men that being so reinforced he might be able both to carry on the Siege and fight the Enemy in case they advanced to raise it Which precaution was the more necessary because their ran a report that Marshall Durass was advancing with his Army and orders to give the Confederates Battel But it happen'd that the Brandenburgh Regiments were useless for Durass never appeared After which notwithstanding the fierce Resistance of the Besieged the Besiegers by little and little gain'd the Outworks which the French possessed and lodg'd themselves therein Batteries were rais'd in every one of the Attacks and they made themselves Masters of so much Ground while the Cannon open'd a wide Breach that the Duke resolved a General Assault To which purpose all things were prepared in readiness And the next day after this Resolution was approved by all the Generals at a Council of War they began by break of day to play upon the Town from all the Batteries and so continued till four in the Evening At what time upon the throwing in of a Bomb which was the Signal agreed on they fell on in every Quarter with so much vigour and such undaunted Courage that after a Bloody Contest of three Hours and a half they carry'd the Counterscarp At the beginning of the Assault in regard the French were desirous to keep the Town whatever it cost the ground was strew'd with dead Carcasses And the Imperialists were they that lost most Men. For the Marquis D'Uxelles who was acquainted with the Duke of Lorrain believing the Hottest work would be at the Attack which he Commanded he took not so much care of the other Attacks that he might make the greater Resistance against the Duke So that the Saxons and the Regiments of Hesse and Lunenburgh were Masters of the Counterscarp an Hour before the Imperialists But notwithstanding this Prosperous success of the Besiegers the French continued firing their great Guns and blew up three Mines that made a dreadfull havock Nevertheless the Saxons and Lunenburghers pursued the Enemy to the very Gates of the Town and the Imperialists lodg'd themselves upon one of the Principal Bastions making way through the very fire of the Cannon and an infinite number of Bombs that were thrown from the Town As the fight was desperate on both sides so the loss of the Confederates was very great several Officers of Note and a vast number of Common Soldiers But in regard the loss of the French to whom the Germans gave no Quarter was much greater the Marquis D'Uxelles no sooner began to consider with himself but he saw that if he should hold out any longer he should loose all his men However he made a shew as if he intended to stand the t'other brunt But when he saw that the Confederates began to fill up the Motes with a purpose to assault the Town it self he desired to Capitulate and Hostages being given on both sides the Articles were concluded * Mayence was invested the 17th of July 1685 and surrendred the 11th of September following This Siege lasted not above two Months And it is most certain that if the Besiegers would have made use of their Bombs they might have sooner compelled the French to a Surrender notwithstanding the strength of their Fortifications and the number of their Cannon But in regatd the Generals were willing to preserve Mayence they chose to spend a little longer time with the loss of a few more Men than to deface the City and at the end of the Siege to be the Masters only of a heap of Ruins While the Duke of Lorrain signalized himself in Germany Prince Lewis of Baden obtain'd a considerable Victory over the Turks in Servia Of which the Emperor received the News almost at the same time that he had the Tidings of the taking Mayence But notwithstanding these Successes as well upon the Rhine as in Moravia other ill News render'd his rejoycing imperfect For the French to repair the loss they had received continuing their Hostilities after the same manner as they began Burnt all before 'em from Heidelburgh to Strasburgh and at length made Frankendale taste of their Mercy the only Town in the Palatinate which till then they had spar'd At the same time that the Confederates laid Siege to Mayence they determin'd also the Siege of Bon to make themselves Masters of two Cities at a time if it were possible The Duke of Brandenburgh who was to Attack that Place and who had already carried the Fort of Bael made tryal at first to reduce the Town by his Cannon and Bombs as being willing to spare his own and the Confederates Men. To which purpose he was no sooner sate down before the Town with part of his and the Bishop of Munster's Men together with some Holland Regiments but he fell to raising his Batteries The Effect was quick and terrible for in less than two Days the City was destroy'd and laid in Ashes all but one great Tower and one Church which the Bishop of Munster's Men at last quite ruin'd with their Cannon But all this was so far from discouraging the French that instead of Surrendring they made continual Sallies so that the Elector resolv'd to have laid a formal Siege to the Place To which purpose all things were prepar'd in a readiness and there was no question but the City would have been carried in a small time after the Havock which the Bombs had made But when all things were just ready the Elector receiv'd three pieces of News that broke all his Measures The first was from the Elector of Treves That the Marquis of Boufflers having drawn together a considerable Body was advanc'd towards Coblents which constrain'd him to send away General Schening with a Detachement of Seven or Eight thousand Men to defend those Parts The second was from Prince Waldeck who finding himself not strong enough in Horse to deal with Marshal d'Humieres sent for the Dutch Cavalry then before Bon. Which constrain'd him to send away a Detachement of Seven Regiments The