would have at the same time made a general Attaque Monsieur could not execute his design but the advantage of the ground which the Enemies possessed the passage of two Rivers and the day being almost spent obliged hin to defer it On the eleventh in the morning the Prince of Orange very well perceived that he was engaged to give Battel The day before he found all the passages whereby he should relieve St. Omers fast shut up and he thought that he was more strong than the Monsieur for he was yet ignorant of the recruits that were come to his Royal Highnesses Army and if he had known it 't would have been a shame for him and for the States General to have left his Post The Prince resolves to give battel He then resolved to take the occasion to engage he passed the first River and made his Artillery advance and made the a new assault on the Abby of Pene Passes the River and lodging there a part of his Dragoons he posted among some thick shrubs neer to Moulin some Squadrons of his own Guards to back divers Battalions Makes a new attempt on Pene. which by the favour of the Canon and the hedges were to open the way for him to come to the second River on the other side of which the French Army was encamp'd Why Monsieur accepts the battel Monsieur who observed all these motions was in a great impatience to come to handy strokes not so much in consideration of his own glory and for the advantage that would thereby accrue to his Majesty He very well foresaw that if the Prince were contented to make headagainst them without engaging in a Battel he might so spin out the Time in length and by that only means render their design against St. Omers unprofitable He saw also that he had the disadvantage of the ground and the fewer forces but the forementioned Reasons made him shut his eyes against all others carried on by his own courage having great confidence in his Troops who testified a very great desire of doing well He presently prepared all things as a General that would not refuse the Combat He then about nine in the morning opposed to the Hollanders who advanced the two Battalions of Anjou right over against the Bridge of the River and gave order that the right wing should guard the Artillery to the same place which play'd upon the Enemies Battel till two a clock in the afternoon He also ordered Marshal Luxemburg to retake the Abby of Pene which was on the left side where the Marshal commanded This Post was an assured passage for the Enemies advance and was of very great importance The Marshal executed that order with the Royal Regiments and that of the Crown one Battalion of Stoppa's the Dragoons of Listenoy and other Troops Pene retaken and with four pieces of Canon The Hollanders after a long resistance were compelled to dislodg which they did after they had put fire to the place and rendred it unprofita to either party An ill motion of the Prince In the mean time his Royal Highness understood that the enemy had left with the better part of his Army the Height which was on the other side of the River of Pene with an apparent design to pass over and to fight This oblig'd him to send away presently the Chevalier Clinvilliers with some Officers to take a view more neerly of the front of the enemies Army Monsieur views the passages which appeared but weak on the place where they faced the right wing of the French The Chevalier brought him word that there was in that place a stone Bridg by which they might pass over for that it was not guarded at all and that he had seen on the other side of that Bridg some Squadrons sustained by Battalions ill drawn up and easie to be broken This movement of the Prince of Orange and the Condition of these Troops offered too fair an occasion to overcome to be neglected and Monsieur presently made use of it His Army had changed something the Order of battel by these movements as also by the disposition of the Ground and the occasion that had engaged him to it some of the Dragoons on the Right having passed over to the left and many Battalions of the second Line being advanced into the first Monsieur did not only make use of the Officers of the Army and the Aids de Camp to carry Orders and to observe the motion of the Armies but he also employed the Gentlemen of his house some being order'd to go to divers places others to stay fixed in certain particular posts and another part to be about his person The most considerable of these were the Chevalier de Beuvron Captain of his Guards the Marquis d' Effiat first Esquire the Marquis Pluvault the Chevalier Nantovillet Monsieur de Grave and many others which we shall mention hereafter It was about two a Clock in the afternoon when Monsieur who had resolv'd upon the business M. Humieres has order to begin the battel sent word to Marshal d' Humieres to advance towards the enemies Front with order to fight if he found a favourable occasion The Marshal having perceived the stone Bridg and divers places on the River easily to be pass'd he let his Royal Highness know by Chanly a good Officer of Marshal de Logis and who very well understood the business of war that he thought good to send the Dragoons of the Collonel General which he had ranged to begin the fight for that there could not be offer'd a better opportunity In passing the River he presented himself before the left wing of the Prince of Orange having with him the Gens d' Armerie and the Kings Musketeers having order'd to follow him two Battalions of Navar with a design to gain the height and the Gardens in the middle of the enemies first Line He fell immediatly within two gross Battalions of Hollanders A dangerous business seconded by nine Squadrons of Brederodes Kinskell and others To disintangle himself from them he commanded the two Battalions of Navar and the Musketeers to attacque them The valour of the musketeers making the later to a light When the Hollanders saw before them the Red-coats for so they called the Musketeers they heard the commander of the Battalion of Oalkembourg to animate his soldiers to sustain manfully but that shock and the Victory should be easily theirs afterwards But neither the perswasion of the enemies Officers nor the Tempest of two vollies of their Muskets which they answered with their pistols could hinder these Musketeers from overthrowing by dint of Sword the Regiment which opposed them whilst those of Navar routed the other After the defeat of these foot the Musketeers seeing the Horse coming towards them which back'd them returned to mount their Horses with so great precipitation for fear of loosing the opportunity of charging that
Chevalier Sourdis and divers other Officers and Troops which followed them imagined that they had been beaten back which caused the Chevalier Sourdis to say to them that they should not press so as to cause those that were advancing to believe they were routed The Marshal seeing the Enemies Squadrons to advance after the rout of their two Battalions he opposed them with the Marquis de Livourn with the Gens d' Armery who after they had endured the brunt of two discharges at the nose of the muskets with their swords in their hands passed over the bodies of all these of the first Line But being willing to push on the victory farther it was impossible for him to make them keep their Ranks in the heat of the Combate so that the Enemies Squadrons falling on a sudden upon them put them into disorder But Revel with his Brigade succour'd them very opportunely giving them the means to put themselves into a Body and to divers others of his Troops to advance as far as a great space where there were yet two Battalions sustained by all the Prince of Oranges Cavalry In the mean time Cardonnier advertised the Marshal that they saw above fifteen Squadrons to descend from the hill The hazard of Marshal Humieres who were coming to fall upon the flank of his wing who ordered the same Cardonnier Lieutenant General to make head against them with the Squadrons of Conismark and the Chevalier de Sourdis to bring on the Musketeers who had recovered their horses It was then that Monsieur began to engage himself on his side Monsieur engages He caused the Infantry to advance and ordered Marshal Luxemburg to cause his lest wing to advance Marshal Humieres was still in all the dangers and perils M. Humieres beats the Enemy finding new obstacles The two Battalions which were in the great space one of which was the Prince of Oranges Guards standing firm before the Squadrons of Curasiers and of Tilladet and could not be broken without the Infantry He then commanded Crevaut with the Queens Battalions and Desbourdes and Raousset with those of Navar to chace them which was executed after a most vigorous resistance Having put to flight those Battalions he met within a large plain all the Enemies Cavalry who had prepared themselves for to receive him there being among others one Squadron of white Horse of the Princes own Guard and for that Revel 's Brigade had suffer'd much he caused the Gens d' Armerie to advance who being rallied and having liberty to extend themselves on every side they began to charge Monsieur who was in the midst of it Monsieur encourages those that fly to return to fight seeing some Battalions and some Squadrons flying before a great Body of the Enemies Foot in the same place where he begun to fight he ran to them crying Do you see me and fly where is the honour of France By his Example and Valour At the same time he made the Battalions of Greeder and Phiffer to march to which he joyned his own company of the Guards and kept none about his person but his Gentlemen and Domesticks After these orders he rallied those that fled and sent them back to the fight encouraging them by his Example and overthrew all the Enemies Infantry who having prevailed in the disorder of the French had almost took their Camp Monsieur exposed himself very much in this occasion receiving one Shot from a Musket upon his Arms. The Chevalier of Lorrain was wounded in the front The Chevalier of Lorain wounded and divers other Gentlemen and Domesticks belonging to his Royal Highness were wounded by his side M. Humiers knows that Monsieur is victorious Marshal de Humieres seeing at the disorder of the Enemies Infantry very well perceiv'd that Monsieur had gotten some considerable advantage And finding he had nothing to fear on that side and having assured himself on the other side with the Brigade of Moutrevel of the second Line which was in very good order he reinforced the Gens d' Armery once more which had suffer'd much with the Brigade of Revel and other Squadrons which were neer it Puts the left wing of the Hollanders to the rout and charged the gross body of the Hollanders Cavalry which after an obstinate fight began at last to repass the River and then to disband and fly Monsieur at the same time was ready with his Infantry on the left side of that victorious Wing and met the Marshal who came from conquering with the Cavalry the left wing of the Enemies where were their greatest forces and where fortune seemed to dispute with the bravery of his Troops The Duke of Luxemburg who with his left wing had not found that resistance in the Enemies right and who had wholly broken them had order from his Royal Highness to pursue the victory with divers Squadrons of the Collonel Generals and some others who were drawn from the right wing of Marshal d' Humieres and which the Count Plessis had the charge to conduct to him The dangers and bravery of the Prince of Orange The Hollanders Army in the confusion gained the height and the way to Cassel and la Belle. The Prince of Orange after that he had exposed himself divers times and had received several shots upon his Arms seeing the Battel lost without recovery retired after all his cares sad and followed by few people hardly knowing whither to go He went first to Steenwood and thence to Poperinghen finding at this time that fortune was not answerable to his courage Monsieurs march Monsieur advanced as far as the hill which was on the other side of the second River with the Brigades of d' Aubarode and Villechauvis to stay for the Marshal of Luxembourg or to sustain him in case that Count Nassau should have attaqued him with those Troops which he led The Marshal scattered many of the Troops who had rallied to save their Baggage Luxemburgs Actions and took many Officers and Soldiers prisoners even two leagues on the other side Cassel The Hollanders lost all their Baggage Food and Prisoners The Hollanders loss thirteen pieces of Canon a great many Mortarpieces fifteen Standards one and forty Ensigns and above ten thousand men that is to say 3000 slain as many wounded or taken prisoners and the rest run away or rendred incapable of service The chief of quality that were there lost of the Hollanders were Walstein Commander of his Highnesses Dragoons Hollanders of quality slain Collonels Scaep Arembergh Greames Grime Holfwege Hornby Truxes Majors of Brederods Foot Waldeck Kloostet the eldest son of Collonel Kilpatrick Governour of Bosleduc Everwyn Lieut. Col. of the same Regiment Collonel Slaneberg the Baron of Lotthen and 150 Officers more Wounded and prisoners Those that were wounded and taken prisoners were Ryswith Cornet of the Guards of the Body Hortman Lieutenant of the Cavalry of Valdek Croonmain Lieutenant Colonel
were in the Pie to repress the ardour of the most furious But whether they could no longer distinguish Foes from Friends or that they were of the number of those that fled the vigour with which they saw themselves pursued had made them utterly lose their judgement and their courage they flung down their Arms and some of them who were afraid of falling by the edge of the Sword demanded their lives on their knees The Conquerors advanced towards the Gate of the Town but they found the draw-Bridge up They were aware that on the left side of the entry of the Pie there was a litle ladder placed in the wall which served as a crust to the Pie by which one might ascend upon the Terrace that cover'd it and from thence pass to the rampart of the Town by the means of certain vaults which reached from the side of a little Sluce-house to the place of the draw-Bridge The Granadiers enforcing then a little Port which shut up that ladder They get into the Town they mounted upon the Terrace where they found but two or three Soldiers and passing the Terrace upon the vaults which were fastned there they went on even to another small Gate which gave entrance to the Rampart From thence they advanced towards the draw-Bridg and having chased away certain Soldiers who guarded it they got down to give a free passage to their companions and they advanced all together into the first Street even in sight of the stone Bridg over the Escaut which crost the Town in that place The Musqueteers and the Granadiers who were advanced into the Town under Vincheguerre and followed by Moissac and le Barre chief Officers and under Molinneuf Lieutenant of the others seconded by the Marquis of Beaumont Volunteer not being above thirty men in all when they perceived the people running to their Arms and saw a party of the Cavalry who began to rank themselves upon the stone Bridge they at first thought good to shelter themselves under the porches of the houses But their number presently increased by the arrival of some under Maupertuis yet by reason the little door of the Pie by which they must pass was troublesome there could come but a few at once they fortified themselves as well as they could in the same Street and there stood firm for some time Certain Cavaliers and Dragoons of the Enemy and some Soldiers also advanced still on this side the Bridge to drive them back but the most forward of them being kill'd their Cavalry left the Bridge to put themselves in Battel aray in the grand place The Militia who had run to their Arms on the report being spread of the entry of the Enemy were surprised yet made a show as if they would dispute the passage of the Bridg and to make fast the chains cross the Streets But the Chevalier Fourbin Javelle Riotot with the rest of their companies and all those who had been willing to follow having wholly defeated or taken prisoners all that withstood them without and having disengaged the Bascule or hanging door they entred the Town like a Torrent The Town taken by assault The principal Burgers at the first brute of the Entry of the French into the Town ran to the Alarum bell at the Council house and made their deputies to come forth to the Troops which were already in Battalia and to tell them that they would capitulate But Moissac and the other Officers told them that it was not time now and that it was not the Custom that they should capitulate with their Masters Then one of the Deputies desired at least that they would let them go to implore the Clemency of the King which they permitted them who meeting the Duke of Luxemburg at the gate of the Town accompanied with Monsieur Dumetz Leiutenant General of the Artillery Hostages sent to the King he put them into the hands of the Marquis de Angeau for to conduct them to his Majesty He then commanded the Musqueteers to stand in Battalia in the grand Place and their Officers made those of the Garison whom they found there to lay down their Arms and those of the Cavalry to dismount He ordered the Granadiers to seise the Market place where was a small Court of Guard of the Enemies and disposed of the rest of the Troops and of the Artillery as he thought convenient to assure himself of all quarters of the Twon The King can hardly beleive the Report This great Action was performed with so much rapidity and was accompanied with so much Valour and good Fortune that the King who had only order'd the taking of the Counterscarp could very hardly beleive the testimony of his own Ears when he heard the Cry of Vive le Roy and the noise of their Granadoes and musquets in the middle of the Town But the Chevalier de Vandome who among the first had enter'd this placed posting with all diligence to his Majesty drew him out of his incertitude and he was no sooner assured of the verity but he went to the place of the Attaque and met in the way the Baron of Langiamet and presently after many other persons of quality who confirm'd that they were masters of the Town At this certain News the King sent away the Marquis De Louvis to hinder the pillage of the Town and other Desolations of Conquest made by Assault Marquis Louvis sent into the Town and to give Orders as he should judge necessary and according as he should find the disposition of things His Majesty was but just past the Bridg which he had lay'd over the Escaut for Communication of his Quarters when he met with the Marquis de Angeau who conducted the Provost of the County of Hanault and the chief of the Inhabitants which they had sent for Hostages They Implored the Clemenâ— of the King and demanded a Confirmation of their Priviledges By the right of war the Town ought to be left to be pillaged by the soldiers which the King let these hostages know The Kings Clemency yet such was the natural bounty and sweetness of his Majesty which equalled his Valour that he compassionated the misery of the People and made his Victory and Force to give way to his Generosity and would not permit the least displeasure to be done to the Inhabitants and made them to hope in his mercy The Marquis de Louvis being arrived in the Town bid the Musqueteers to mount on the horses of the Garison which appertained to them of right and commanded the vanquish'd to withdraw themselves into a Church till they should receive new orders Certain squadrons of the Guards of the Body and certain Batalions of the French Guards relieved the Musqueteers and the Granadiers And thus Valenciennes by one only assault as sudden as unheard of submitted it self to France The Town obliged themselves to pay the sum of 400000 Crowns in acknowledgment of the grace which
fling down their works The news carried to Paris The King sent away Count Grammount to carry the welcome news to the Queen and to the Dauphin The twenty second Te Deum was sung in Paris in the Church of Nostredame The Queen and the Dauphin accompanied with the Prince and Princesses and Ambassadors of Sovereign Princes that were used to assist there being present and Bonfires were made at night thorow the whole Town The Queen sends to complement the King and Monsieur The Queen sent to testifie her joy to the King first and to Monsieur for the prosperity of this Campagne by the Vicount Nantia her Esquire in ordinary The King departed from Cambray on the twentieth in the morning The Kings departure passing through Bouchain and lay at Douay The twenty first he went to Lens and lay at night at Bethune The twenty second he went to Terouanne whither Monsieur came to see his Majesty Monsieur after the Victory against the Prince of Orange stayed some days in his post Monsieurs Actions after the Battel as well to observe the condition of the Enemies Army as to hinder any of those Troops from getting into St. Omers and also to give time for his Cavalry to take the benefit of the Forrage which they had found on the other side of Cassell and for his Infantry to make use of the provisions which the Hollanders had abandoned and was enough to serve his Army for ten days at least His Royal Highness sent presently into the Feild where the Battel was struck Carts and other Carriages with Physitians Chirurgians and necessary provisions to succour those Enemies who had need of it and commanded no difference to be made at that time betwixt those unfortunate people and those of his own Men. Monsieur did not fail to press on the Siege in the mean time Every day four Battalions and some Squadrons had order to enter the Trenches and to attack the Cow-fort A Sally On the tenth of April the Besieged perceiving that Monsieur had quitted the Siege to meet with the Hollanders Army they resolved to endeavour to retake that Fort by a brisk and vigourous Sally which they made But the Marquis La Trousse who was upon the Guards gave them a repulse Afterwards in the Quarter of du Bac and of Nieurlet where Phiffer commanded they intercepted the Letters which the Governour and the Magistrates of St. Omers wrote to the Prince of Orange which contained the sad estate they were in being as yet ignorant of the defeat given to the Prince Monsieur caused a coppy of them to be taken to shew to the King and thought it convenient to permit the original to pass that the enemy might be informed of their straits A new Battery His Royal Highness caused the Artillery to be advanced against St. Omers and raised a new Battery of twenty pieces of Canon before the High Bridge The Attacque of Tattinghen being left the same instant that Monsieur quitted his quarters for that he found he had not forces enough to keep that post M. de Humieres returns but Marshal de Humieres returned before the place to put all things in a condition to redouble the Attacques The Besieged frequently sallied forth taking several prisoners On the seventeeth they made one in which Cardonniere was wounded Frezelier the son killed and a good number of Soldiers but all those endeavours of the Besieged how brisk soever they were were but like the last glimmering of a Lamp going out For in fine Monsieur having given his Army a refreshment and time to get in the forrage and munition of the enemies and being assured that the Prince of Orange with the reliques of his Army was retreated between Bruges and Gaunt returned into the Camp at Blandeck on the nineteenth and put the greatest parts of his Troops in Battalia on the Hill of Arques Monsieur returns to the Camp On the twentieth at night the Prince de Robeck and the Magistrate of the Town not being able longer to resist the Artillery being now no longer ignorant of the loss of the Battel despaired of being succoured apprehending the Consequence of a General Assault and believing they had done all things that Honour required of them for the defence of the place The Town capitulates they demanded to capitulate Hostages were given on either side Surrenders it self Monsieur sent Collonel Villars into the Town and the Spaniards sents into the Camp Collonel de Fey Collonel of Foot and d' Harnoncourt Collonel of Horse They had yet one Counterscarp left one large ditch and one Rampart of Earth furnished with Gabions Stakes and quick Hedges so that they might have been able to hold out for some days longer but seeing themselves without any hope of relief and being threatned that they should have no quarter if the Town should be taken by assault or be made prisoners of war if they should defer the time longer ere they rendred themselves were perswaded to come to a conclusion and which they must be forced to do within a few days at the least and also finding that the French were not at all moved by their long resistance hoping thereby at last to destroy the Troops of that Garison which would be a great lost to Flanders and which might yet render them good service All these things considered made them resolve to capitulate Their demands were strongly debated and they were resolved not to receive them but as Prisoners of war but Monsieur having seen the King on the twenty second at Terouanne return'd to his Camp with orders to agree to their Capitulation upon honorable Terms They left the place with Arms and Baggage two pieces of Canon and a Guard as far as Ypres and Gaunt The Prince of Robeck and the Count of St. Vignant at the head of their Garison made their Reverence to his Royal Highness who received them with much Civility Monsieurenters the Town Monsieur entering into the Town caused the Te Deum to be sung visited the Rampart and having given the necessary Orders for the putting the place into a good Condition and also provided for the necessities of the prisoners and for those that were wounded he went to joyn himself to the King The Government disposed of by the King His Majesty had given the Government of the place before he had left his Camp before Cambray in the Favour of the Marquis St. Genles Commander of Douay and gave the Lieutenancy to Raousset Captain of Navar and made Rochepierre Engineer the Major and the command of Douay to the Marquis Pierrefit an ancient Chevalier of Lorraine It hath been a Custome between the Kings of England and France Complements betwixt the King of England and the French King when there has been amity betwixt them that when ever either of them approaches neer each others Coast to send mutual Complements each to other The French King therefore sent