league of his Camp before the Mareschal's Guards perceiv'd it as he marched the next day towards the River expecting the Enemy might attempt to pass it he found to his surpize that their Army marched towards him near the Wood of Marfee He immediately put himself in Battel array in very good order while the Enemy did the same in a place too narrow and much less advantageous so that in all probability they would be beaten The Mareschal's Right Wing began the Battel with some advantage but the Cavalry of the Left Wing possest by I know not what sort of a pannic fear turn'd back upon their own Foot whom they put into disorder so that the Royal Infantry being attackt by the Princes was broken after some resistance and fled with the Horse which it was impossible to perswade to rally again This movement carried away the Right Wing and the Mareschal was oblig'd to retreat as the rest had done Whilst the other part of the Army fled in this manner the Regiment of Rousillon and two Companies of Horse of the Queen Mother with that of Monsieur who were in a manner the only Troops that did any service pierced to the very place where the Count de Soissons was This Prince seeing his men give way marched directly to the Enemy to sustain the shock and as he expos'd himself like a common Souldier he was wounded with a Pistol-shot in his Face which penetrated his Head so he fell down dead at his Horse's feet Some say it was a Souldier belonging to the Company of Monsieur who shot him without knowing him others that it was one of the Count 's own Guards However it was these three Companies of Horse that had the bravery to combat a victorious Enemy were intirely cut in pieces The Royal Army lost five hundred men the rest escaping with that haste into the neighbouring Woods that the Enemy could not follow them Nevertheless there were two thousand taken Prisoners and among them several Officers of note The Malecontents did also gain the Cannon all the Baggage and lost but very few men But the death of the Count de Soissons which dispirited the whole party was infinitely more fatal to them than the victory was advantageous The Mareschal de Chatillon retir'd to Rethel where he stayed to pick up the remainder of his Army and the Mareschal de Breze to whom he was by no means well affected was * The 15 of July sent to command with him in order to mortify him because he had transgressed his Orders In the mean time Lamboi took Dunchery which made a gallant resistance but being not fortified was obliged to surrender The Royal Army being reinforced by several Bodies was on the march when the King arrived thither to retake this place which he * The 31 of July reduced in two days Lamboi not daring to oppose him At last as they put all things in readiness to go and attack Sedan unless the Duke made an accommodation suddenly he thought it not convenient to wait the consequences of a Siege The King granted to the Duke and to all those of his party * See it in the Mem. of Aubery T. 2. l. â—36 and the â—â—ticle◠〈…〉 Saâ— Mâ—â— I. 2. l. 1. p. 15. Letters of Pardon and a neutrality to the principality of Sedan that it might not be exposed to the excursions of the Spaniards However Lamboi went to joyn the Imperial Army near Aire as I have already observed The Duke came in person to Dunchery to make his Obeisance to his Majesty there and 't is reported that the Cardinal so highly esteem'd his conduct in this whole affair that he said That if it had not been a Rebellion he would have preferr'd it to all the undertakings of the famous Spinola Thus our fortunate Minister faw a terrible storm which threatned his head and which broke out at first in a signal victory to scatter of it self by the death of one of his greatest Enemies But notwithstanding this the Duke of Bouillon did not become his friend as we shall see in the history of the following year year 1642 The Bishop of Nice * Sir Mer. T. 2. l. 1. p. 362. and the other Agents of the Cardinal of Savoy and Prince Thomas his Brother obtained after a long negotiation at Madrid that better care should be taken to assist these Princes than had been done the last Campaign They granted to the Cardinal provisions of all sorts as much as should last a year for the County of Nice together with the pensions they had promis'd him and his Brother Particular Orders were dispatched to the Count de Sirvela Governour of Milan to furnish these Princes exactly with what they had promis'd them But as Prince Thomas was to be General in Chief of the Spanish Army and to share authority with Sirvela the latter who envied the great advantages of this Prince forgot nothing which might render him suspected to the Court of Madrid not remembring the Interests of the Crown which required that this Prince should be well used who was able to do a great deal of mischief to France and was the only person capable to command the Spanish Army in Italy The Governor of Milan sent his accounts to Madrid by which it appeared that the Princes of Savoy were much in debt to the Treasury of Milan so far was he from putting the Court in mind of the arrears of their pensions Altho Count Masserati Agent to Prince Thomas very plainly discover'd the gross falsity of these accounts yet the Count-Duke prepossest in Sirvela's behalf would not listen to him The Princes of Savoy having received this news from Madrid thought now of accommodating themselves in good earnest with France and to do it the more handsomely they sent to acquaint the Count de Sirvela that the King of France was ready to surrender all the places he held in Piedmont to the Duke of Savoy provided the Spaniards would do the same on their side The Count made answer that he had no power to treat about an affair of that consequence which gave the Princes a plausible occasion to renew all the complaints they had made against the Ministers of Spain and to say particularly that the Spaniards had a design to strip the House of Savoy and not to assist it against France as they had pretended Several Negotiations passed upon this and some other difficulties between the Princes of Savoy and the Count but at last the Spaniards not giving them that satisfaction they demanded they made their accommodation with France and with the Dutchess of Savoy which was concluded at Turin * Ib. 615. on the 14th of June To effect it with more security they caus'd a report to be spread before hand that the French went to besiege Trino in Montferrat and pray'd Sirvela to send some men thither with all possible speed The Count suffering himself to be intrapt drew out the Spaniards
to have six thousand Men and a Supply of Money from Spain but the Sum which he received from them did not amount to above fifty thousand Crowns and it was late enough before it was remitted to him As for their Succours of Men they came not at all So that when Monsieur entred into Languedoc he was not in a condition to oppose the King's Forces Nevertheless there was a necessity to receive him and he entred into Lunel on the 13th of July after having secured some few Places to himself He had a considerable sum of Money at his Palace in Paris which he expected to receive in a short time but the Court having had notice of his Designs stopped it so that Monsieur 's Party was in a manner destitute of every thing and when the King begun his March to go and joyn Mareschal Schomberg who followed the Duke of Orleans he was not in a condition to make a long resistance if the Royal Armies had been once joyned together Monsieur had then Two thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse with abundance of Voluntiers and Three Pieces of Canon And Mareschal Schomberg had not yet above a Thousand Foot and Twelve hundred Horse without Artillery The Mareschal being advanced near to Castelnaudarry drew up his Troops in Battel on the First of September the Enemy being not far from him Whether the Duke of Montmorency was desirous to open the Campagne with some Action that might give reputation to his Party or whether he judged it expedient to fight the Royal Army while they were inferiour to him in number he took upon himself the Command of the Van of the Army and Monsieur that of the Main Body * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 7. p. 555. Aubery Lib. 4. c. 31. Pontis Memcirs p. 2. p. 26. Having put himself at the head of the Counts of Moret of Rieux and of Feuillade he resolved to go and support the first Files who were ordered to possess themselves of an Advantageous Post The Count de Moret was the first who fell upon the King's Horse and put them into disorder and Montmorency perceiving it pour'd in full speed with very few Men and forgetting to discharge the part of a General he exposed himself to all the dangers of a Private Souldier and fought with extraordinary bravery Upon this some Foot who were laid in an Ambush in the Ditches suddenly got up and made their Discharge so fortunately that the Counts of Moret of Rieux of Feuillade and several Officers were killed and the Duke of Montmorency wounded in several parts of his Body He might have withdrawn himself if at the same time his Horse being wounded had not dropt down under him so that a little while after he was made Prisoner and carried to Lectoure The rest of Monsieur's Army seeing themselves deprived of a considerable number of the Principal Officers in stead of being animated to a revenge of their death or going to free them from the hands of their Enemies retired without fighting Not long after the Foot were wholly dispersed and Monsieur retired with his Horse to Beziers while some Towns that had declared for him returned to their former Allegiance and Duty The Duke of Orleans now begun to give great marks of Repentance for having engaged himself so far in an affair out of which he could not disengage himself with Honour and Bullion who after some Negotiations to no purpose went to see him from the King obliged him in a few days to Sign an Accommodation against the Mind of the greatest part of his Domesticks The chiefest difficulty which lay in the way was concerning the Duke of Montmorency whom Monsieur would absolutely have restored to the enjoyment of his Liberty Honours and Estate * Seâ— Gaston's Letter to the King dated from Montereau the 13th of Nov. 1632. in the Hist of Lewis XIII by Ch. Bernard Lib. 16. Bullion told this Prince That the best and onely way he had to obtain what he requested was to submit himself wholly to the King's Will that to desire an assurance of it would be a Provocation to him and an offence to that Trust he ought to have in his Clemency That this being a Pardon which was wholly to redound to the King's Glory he wrong'd the Duke of Montmonency in not leaving it at His Majesty's Disposition that the blind obedience he show'd the King upon this occasion ought to put him out of fear and give him hopes as certain as he could desire These Discourses of Bullion perswaded the Duke That he had Orders from the King to speak to him in this manner and hindred Gaston from drawing any positive word for the liberty of the Duke of Montmorency Whether Puilaurens and the rest whose Advice Monsieur required in every thing were not sorry to see the Duke of Montmorency sacrificed or whether they did not perceive the Artifice of Bullion certain it is that they committed in this occasion a prodigious fault which discredited their Party for good and all Thus did it appear evidently by Monsieur's Conduct that those who Govern'd him were not able to deceive any body but himself They could easily bring him to shew his Dissatisfaction against the Court but knew not to re-establish his Affairs upon a solid foundation nor to put themselves into a condition to improve to their advantage that exceeding power they had over his Inclinations The Treaty of Accommodation * Hist of Lewis XIII by Ch. Bernard Lib. 16. was to this effect That Monsieur should acknowledge his Fault in Writing and desire the King to Pardon him That he should give all reasonable and possible assurances not to commit any such transgression for the future That in order to this he should Promise to leave all sorts of Cabals in and out of the Kingdom and under no pretence and in no manner whatsoever to Maintain any Intelligence with the Spaniards Lorrainers or other Princes nor with the Queen-Mother while she continued in her present Circumstances nor with any body in the Kingdom against His Majesty's good pleasure and to remain where His Majesty should be pleased to appoint him and to live there as a true Brother and Subject That he should not concern himself for those who had joyned with him in these occasions to promote their own Affairs at his Cost and the prejudice of the Nation and should not pretend to have occasion of complaint given him if the King at any time should punish them as they deserved out of which number were excepted his Domesticks who were then with him That he should not demand any particular Pardon for those Strangers who Accompanied him but that the King out of his meer bounty and goodness should grant them six days to withdraw into Rousillon That he should fill the vacant Offices of his House and among the rest namely that of Chancellour with Persons nominated by the King and if His Majesty was displeased with any of them he should
joyn with the Forces of the Duke of Weimar Galas had besieged Kaiserslauter and blocked up Mentz and the Duke was not strong enough to raise the Siege or break the Blockade He was so much the more concerned to preserve that place because he had laid up there the most considerable part of the Booty which he had got since the Entrance of Gustavus into Germany For this reason he had put some of his best Troops into the Town and among the rest the Yellow Regiment of the late King of Sweden This Place made a very brave Resistance and this Regiment refusing to capitulate sustain'd several Assaults and perished upon the Breach But at last the Town was taken by force and all of them put to the Sword It cost the Imperialists very dear but the Duke of Weimar sustained an irrepairable Loss by it The Cardinal de la Valette joyn'd the Duke of Weimar after this This latter although he was a Lutheran The 27th of July gave him the Right-hand because he rather considered the great credit he was in with the Minister of Lewis XIII than his Dignity of Cardinal All the World wonder'd that the King who did not want Generals and kept a Mareschal in Prison wou'd have recourse to an Archbishop to command one of his Armies at so dangerous a Juncture for in short whatever Inclinations the Cardinal de la Valette had to the profession of War 't is certain that he came infinitely short of several Commanders whom his Majesty might have employ'd But it was one of the Minister's Maxims To employ Bishops and Abbots in things that had no relation to their Function whether he had a greater esteem for Ecclesiasticks than he had for the Laity or whether he thought they wou'd serve him with more punctuality In the mean time Galas had besieged Deuxponts which place he had brought to surrender the next day when he received Advice that the Cardinal de la Valette and the Duke of Weimar were marching towards him to relieve it Upon this News he drew off but notwithstanding all the haste the French made with the Duke of Weimar they cou'd not overtake him so as to give him Battel However they advanced by the side of Mentz and obliged 14000 Imperialists to raise the Siege of that City The 5th of August which the Enemy had reduced to such Extremities that they must have been forced to surrender in four or five days for want of Provisions A few days after Galas having re-united all the Imperial Forces that were about the Rhine into one Body he formed an Army of them consisting of 30000 Men and finding himself superiour in numbers to the Cardinal and the Duke obliged them to retire in their turn But it was impossible for them to subsist longer in the place where they were by reason that Francford had declared for the Emperour and Sicknesses having got into the Army had lessen'd it considerably Now the difficulty was how to make a safe Retreat before an Army much stronger than their own They made an account to march straight to Sarbruck and to St. Avaud where there was plenty of Provisions but Galas having cut off that way from them they must resolve to take that of the Mountains although un-peopled and without Refreshments and endeavour to reach Vaudervange where there was a French Garrison They took this Road labouring under all these Inconveniences without daring to make a Halt at any place either by reason of the great want of Victuals or out of fear of having Galas upon their hands this General following them very closely At last they arrived on the 26th of September at Vaudervange without any other loss than that of their Artillery which the bad Weather and the swiftness of their March obliged them to leave behind The same day they passed the Save and this Precaution was not unserviceable to them for Galas appeared on the other side four hours after He likewise passed it on the 28th and found that the French had abandoned their Baggage to retire under the Cannon of Metz. He advanc'd within a League and half of this City but finding the Enemy secure he conducted his Army back again into the Country of Luxemburg within some Leagues of that place He had fifteen thousand Foot eight thousand Horse and six thousand Croats The Cardinal and the Duke of Weimar had no more than eight thousand Foot and six thousand Horse In the mean time Charles Duke of Lorrain had attempted with a Body of Men under his Command to re-possess himself of his Dominions where some of his Subjects received him with great joy But as all the strong Places were in the King's hands it was impossible for him to make any progress by reason of the great Opposition he found from the Mareschal de la Force and the Duke of Angoulême And thus after some Incursions and a few Skirmishes he retired to joyn himself to Galas The King being informed of the Retreat of his Troops that were followed by the Imperial Army sent immediately to Oxenstiern to oblige him to make some Diversion in order to hinder all the Imperial Forces from falling into Lorrain But * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. ◠p. 347. the Duke of Lunenburg the Landgrave of Hesse and all the other Allies of Sweden had made their Peace with the Emperour after the Example of the Elector of Saxony Banier was abandon'd by the Army so he was obliged to think of retiring with the Forces that remained towards Pomerania to treat afterwards with the Emperour and obtain the easiest Conditions he cou'd get of him Oxenstiern was thinking of nothing but how to return into Sweden when he received the News that Banier had got a signal Victory over the Saxons that pursued him Although this Advantage inspired Banier with fresh Courage and occasion'd him to stay in Pomerania yet he was not in a condition to make any considerable Diversion for the rest of that Campaign But the Marquiss de St. Chamond managed Affairs so dexterously that he hinder'd several Princes of Germany from declaring for the Emperour and others he prevail'd with to espouse the Swedish Party afresh He likewise obliged several Colonels who had left Banier for want of Pay to rejoyn themselves in Westphalia under Kniphausen Mareschal de Camp by giving them some money in hand and promising them a farther Supply General Arnheim gave his word not to take any Party without the consent of the King of France Thus if France did not obtain any great Matters by the Swedish Troops this Year yet she hinder'd them from wholly dispersing and put this Party in a posture to act with more Vigour the following Campaign The * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 334. King had a Design to come in Person to his Army in July though he said that if he went thither he shou'd certainly fall sick But as the Army in Germany was not numerous enough to pass for
the Duke of Savoy in the Body of the Battel and the Duke of Parma in the Rear The Enemy had taken no care to entrench themselves thinking that the French durst not stir out of their Lines to meet an Army stronger than their own and they began already to retire when they were attacked Crequi had the Right and the Duke of Savoy commanded on the Left The Attack began on the Duke's side with a great deal of Vigour although they had not sent to observe the ground where the Enemy lay They were beaten back into the Vineyards where their Infantry was posted and they disputed the ground very weakly when Crequi upon a false Information sent word to the Duke of Savoy that the Spaniards were entrenched on the other side and superiour to them in number upon which he did not think it safe to push it on any farther This occasioned Victor-Amadeo who had already dislodged the Spanish Infantry out of the Vineyards to sound a Retreat and lose a fair opportunity of beating the Enemy It is reported that Crequi suspected that the Duke of Savoy only designed to engage him to suffer him afterwards to be cut in pieces and that for this reason he did not attack them He retired likewise at the same time and the Spaniards who looked upon themselves as good as beaten were surprized to see the Enemy abandon of their own accord an Enterprize which had begun so well This News they learn'd of the Prisoners but then it was too late for after this the Spaniards entrenched themselves and were always upon their Guard Nor was this all for they threw fresh Succours into the City through a place where the Lines of Circumvallation were not compleated and where the Savoyards did not make any manner of resistance Another Supply enter'd the Town by the Po after which the Rains that usually fall in the Autumn incommoded the Besiegers The Army which was otherwise exceedingly weakned by Weaknesses and Desertions and the mutual jealousies between the Duke of Savoy and the Mareschal de Crequi still increasing they began to talk of raising the Siege as they did the next day leaving their Canon and part of their Baggage behind them The Generals drew off complaining one of another and that the Milaneze which they had wisely shared between themselves before-hand still continued in the Hands of the Spaniards The Cardinal who had believed the Conquest of it to be a matter of small Difficulty was exceedingly concerned at the ill success of this enterprize and the reciprocal Accusations of the Duke and the Mareschal which afterwards came to him gave him but little Consolation Crequi accused the Duke with holding private Intelligence with the Spaniards and the Duke made it appear that the Mareschal had undertaken this Siege with too small an Army and show'd no Conduct in the whole Affair whatever Bravery he might otherwise have He that was the most in Danger was the Duke of Parma whose Territories lay exposed to the revenge of the Spaniards He complain'd that he was the only Person that had observed the Treaty both in regard to the number of his Troops the time appointed and to his Zeal in executing with Vigour the projects that had been concerted in the Council of War To prevent the ruine of the Duke of Parma and frustrate the other designs of the Spaniards the Troops of France took their Winter Quarters in Italy and were distributed into several Garrisons Thus the Cardinal 's great Expectations of conquering the Dutchy of Milan vanish'd on the sudden although 't is certain that he cou'd not have chosen a fitter time for this enterprize if it had been well executed for the King had made himself Master of the Passes of the Valteline beforchand to hinder any Troops from coming to the assistance of the Spaniards out of Germany * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 216. The Duke of Rohan who was in Alsatia had Orders in the Spring to go into Switzerland there to take Six Thousand Men and four Troops of Horse and conduct them into the Valteline in order to possess himself of that Country and to defend it with the Forces which were there already Being ready to march cross the Country of the Protestant Cantons he writ to Du Landé who commanded three Regiments of French there and as many of the Grisons to make himself Master of all the Passes of the Valteline which he very happily executed on the 13th of April so that neither the Spaniards nor the little Cantons cou'd possibly hinder it Soon after the Duke of Rohan arrived there and began to work upon the Fortifications of those Posts which they had seized The King of Spain being informed of this Invasion sent to demand assistance of the Emperour who dispatched Orders to Galas to send a Detachment of his Army into Tirol and from thence into the Valteline to joyn the Troops of Spain that were to force their Way there on the side of the Milaneze Galas detach'd Eight Thousand Men under the Baron de Fernamond Serjeant de Bataille who being arrived in Tirol attack'd the Pass of the Valteline on that Side in the Month of November The Duke of Rohan received him with Four Thousand Men and the French Infantry charged the German Horse with that Fury that they routed them and put the Army to Flight Fernamond lost Two Thousand Men upon the Spot besides Prisoners and retired towards Tirol Soon after he received a Reinforcement of Three Thousand Men and Serbellon entred the Valteline on the side of Milan and advanced towards Sondrio The Duke of Rohan thought it adviseable to march against the latter before the Recruits of Fernamond were in a Condition to Act. To this end he marched all Night from the 13th to the 14th of November and having met Serbellon at Morbegno where he had intrench'd himself he attack'd him kill'd him Fifteen Hundred Men and took all his Baggage The next Day he returned to Bormio lest Fernamond shou'd take any advantage of his Absence By this Action he hindered a considerable Relief from entring into the Milaneze and falling upon the Allies of France This was the only advantage that turned to any account with France obtain'd against Spain this first Year of the War While France was thus employed by Land in Italy in Germany and the Low-Countries the Spaniards had a design to attack her by Sea and to make a descent upon Provence But their Fleet being severely shattered by Tempests they only seized upon the Isles of St. Margaret and St. Honorat where they left a Garrison and some Men to build two Forts This Acquisition might serve to incommode the Trade of Provence and to facilitate a descent upon the Continent but it was a difficult matter to keep these Islands so that the Spaniards were no great gainers by this Exploit year 1636 Chancellor d' Aligre being Dead the King conferr'd this Dignity upon Pierce Leguier as he had formerly
it so well that the Duke of Hallain Governour of the Province had time enough to come to the relief of it Having presently got together Ten Thousand Men of the Militia of Languedoc brave fighting Fellows and well season'd in the Civil Wars with Seven or Eight Hundred Horse of which he made a review at Narbonne the 22d of September he marched four Days after in order of Battle towards the Enemy's Camp After he had taken a view of them he resolved to attack them on the 28th of the same Month at the beginning of the Night The Spaniards surprized to meet the Enemy without seeing them and not knowing where to run fell into a great Disorder after they had made a feeble Opposition for a few Hours At last they found there was no other way to save themselves but by abandoning their Camp with all their Ammunition and Baggage and the Night which furnished the Enemy with an opportunity to vanquish them favoured their Flight In Recompence of this brave Action and several other Services the Duke of Hallain received a Mareschal's Staff of France on the 27th of October and was ever after called the Mareschal de Schomberg as his Father was The same Day the Mareschal de Vitry Governour of Provence with whom the Court was highly dissatisfied because he had ruined their first enterprize upon the Isles St. Honorat and St. Margaret was arrested by the Marquis de Gêores and carried to the Bastile His Government of Provence ' was given at the same time to Count d' Alets The French did not only defend themselves with a great deal of Success in Guienne and Languedoc and turn the Spaniards out of all those Places they had taken but they attack'd them in the Low-Countries with sufficient Advantages on their Side The Cardinal de la Valette and the Duke of Candalle his Brother who had commanded a long while in the Service of the Venetians and was now returned into France besieged Landreci a City of Henault which * The 23d of July Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 511. and Bernard Lib. 18. S. 6. capitulated soon after From hence they marched to attack Capelle and took it through the Cowardice of the Governour who did not give the Cardinal Infanta time to relieve him although he advanced by great Marches with Fifteen Thousand Men. He was not far off when he heard that the Place was in the Hands of the French The †Aubery ' s Life of the Cardinal Lib. 6. Cap. 53. King had desired ever since the last Year to lay Siege to this Place to get from the Spaniards all that they had taken but the Season was too far advanced after the taking of Corbie to engage in a new Siege He therefore was resolved to have it done this Year and to be there himself in Person but there appeared some difficulty in the attempt which made the Cardinal disswade him from it and propose the design of besieging Avesnes In the mean time as they were preparing all things to put it in Execution t was believed their attempt upon that Place wou'd miscarry and for that reason they bethought themselves to attack Capelle The King was extreamly incensed at their besieging it after they had disswaded him from it as being a dangerous Enterprize as if they had envied him the Honour of reducing that Place Nay he was angry with the Cardinal as if this Minister had designed to deceive him But the Minister appeased him by procuring an Attestation signed by the Officers of the Army wherein they affirmed that they had resolved upon this Enterprize in the ordinary Forms finding the opportunity to be favourable to them and not at all by the Cardinal's Order At this time the Minister found out the Correspondence which the Queen had kept with the Dutchess de Chevrouse a discarded Mistress of the Cardinal as 't is reported and ordered the Man to be apprehended by whose means she managed this Commerce as if the Queen had been obliged to give him an account of all those with whom she had any manner of Concern The Superiour of Val du Grace who was accused to be in the intrigue was likewise removed to another Convent Every thing that touched the Minister never so little was a Crime against the State and was punished more severely than what regarded the King's Person but to return to the Affairs of War On the other side the Mareschal de Châtellon attack'd Yvoix in the Country of Luxemburg and although it was defended with great Gallantry by Colonel Bronz it was forced to surrender towards the end of August But the French did not enjoy this Conquest long for at the beginning of September this place fell again into the Hands of the Spaniards who made themselves Masters of it by surprize This Loss troubled the King exceedingly and to make amends for it the Mareschal de Châtillon whom the Cardinal de la Valette and the Marquiss de la Meilleraye had joyned with the Body which they commanded went to besiege Damvilliers while the Duke of Candalle who was with another Body at Maubeuge kept the Cardinal Infanta in Breath This Prince after he had failed in his design'd relief of Capelle endeavour'd with as little success to oblige the Prince of Orange to raise the Siege of Breda but was not able so much as to fall upon his Quarters Frederick-Henry enter'd this place the 9th of October and all that the Cardinal Infanta cou'd do was to make himself Master of Bento and Ruremond in Guelderland A few days after he received the uncomfortable News that Damvilliers one of the best places in the Country of Luxemburg * The 23d of October had surrendred to the Mareschal de Chà tillon The French took several other small places this Campaign in the Low-Countries and the Franche-Comté where their Army was commanded by the Duke of Longueville If the Spaniards had met with no better success in Italy than they had either in France or the Low-Countries the Cardinalhad found just Reason for having caused the War to be declared against them But the Loss which France sustained of the Valteline which had given them so much Trouble and Expence very much diminished that joy which their great Advantages in other places gave them As this Minister was wholly taken up in Intrigues at home by which means he made a shift to preserve himself in his Post he was frequently obliged to neglect Foreign Affairs and he was the readier sometimes to do it because the Persons whom the King employ'd were not in the favour of the Ministry He discharged a great part of his Affairs upon Father Joseph who was fitter to contrive any little Plots than to manage great Affairs with Discretion This gave the Grisons an opportunity to make an insurrection in favour of the Spaniards They had never been satisfied with the manner of adjusting matters between them and the Inhabitants of the Valteline and besides
suspected of High Treason in order to turn them out of their places which he either took into his own hands or conferr'd upon those that promised to maintain him in his Tyranny That he had ruin'd the best Families in the Kingdom to raise his own and had reduced several good Houses to misery to inrich persons of no merit birth and fortune That he drained France of its Money to send it in specie to foreign Countries and fill'd the Kingdom with Money of a base allay That he had bought at too excessive rates both of the Swedes and others places which he was not able to keep as Philipsburg or must when a Peace comes surrender without reimbursement as Brisac and others That he had indiscreetly squander'd away the Finances in Italy to acquire himself friends whom he afterwards ruin'd and thus render'd the protection which his Majesty had given to the Dukes of Mantua Parma and Savoy contemptible and of no effect That he had made some attempts in Spain which only tended to the dishonour of France and gain'd some Conquests in the Low Countries which were a charge to the State and only proper to render the War everlasting That he had burthen'd the Kingdom with an infinite number of Officers and dryed up the ordinary sources of the Finances by selling or engaging the Demeans and Aids to so high a price that a man could not make up his Money again without committing a great deal of injustice That he had forced several Orders to elect him for their General as the Cistercians the Clarevallenses and the Praemonstratenses by imprisoning abundance of the Religious who would not give him their Votes That as for the other Orders he had engag'd them by a thousand artifices to elect Vicar Generals in France that they might have no more communication with Rome and that he might make himself Head of the Gallican Church for Spirituals as well as Temporals That the King had no Allies that could assist him as being all a charge to his Majesty and only able to make feeble diversions at the expence of France That those whom the Cardinal thought capable to oppose his arbritary proceeding had been delivered into the hands of the Executioner after they had been condemned by wicked corrupt Commissioners of his own nomination or rotted in Prison or were banish'd the Court That he with inhuman ingratitude had turn'd out the Queen Mother and treated all the Princes and Noblemen of the Kingdom in a most arrogant manner That he had violated or annihilated all the Laws and all the Ordinances of the Kingdom under the specious pretence of the absolute will and authority of the King That he had robbed the Provinces and communities of their ancient Franchises and vacated the contracts they had made with former Kings That he had grosly abused the Princes Dukes Peers Mareschals of France and other Officers of the Crown That he had caused several innocent Noblemen to be Condemned by Commissioners dependant upon himself and imprison'd them without any form of process That some Bishops had been judg'd contrary to the known Laws of the Land other Ecclesiasties depriv'd of their Benefices and all of them obliged besides the ordinary tenths to pay prodigious sums and more than one third of their revenue to maintain a company of Pyrates at Sea that were commanded by an Archbishop and by Land an Army of sacrilegious Ruffians that pillag'd Churches and were set on by a Cardinal That he had treated in a most extreme ill manner the two Archbishops Presidents of the last Assembly of the Clergy for representing to him the miserable condition of the Ecclesiastics of France who had given five millions and a half above the ordinary Tenths That several Noblemen had been severely fined forced to the Arriere-ban and deprived of their employments meerly because they were not of his Faction That the Presidents and Counsellors of the Soveraign Courts had been suspended turn'd out and imprison'd when they spoke for the real advantage of the King and People or opposed his innovations which tended to the disgrace and ruin of the Kingdom That several Officers of Justice and the Finances had been undone by researches and new regulations That the City of Paris after all the extraordinary Aids they had given his Majesty had been severely taxed like other Towns and that its Burghers had been taxed at discretion under the pretty name of Benevolences That all the rest that had been exempt from such burthens were to pay so long as Cardinal Richlieu continued in the Ministry That great imposts were laid upon merchandise and that they levied the twentieth penny upon the most necessary things belonging to humane life That the Country was desolated by Soldiers and the keepers of Salt which reduced the poor Peasants to the â—â—od and hard lâ—dgings of Bâ—asts or forced them to dye of Famine or to take Arms or to â—â—g that agriculture was stopt which infinitely incommoded in Ecclesiastics the Nobility and the Burghers These were the complaints brought against Cardinal Richlieu the greatest part of which were without question very wâ—ll grounded The mischief was that the world believâ—d that if thâ—se who â—â—â—surâ—d his conduct with so much reâ—son had been to take his place they would have 〈◊〉 the same violâ—â—ces and yet had 〈…〉 capable to carry it oft with a quarter of that â—â—od management which the â—â—â—dinal discoverâ—d Lest these discountâ—â—â—d Princes and Loâ—ds should be branded for being 〈◊〉 to thâ—e 〈◊〉 they said that they had 〈…〉 that the Emperour and King of Spain should lay down their Arms along with them so soon as they could coâ—oâ—ntly obâ—â—ing sure and honour 〈…〉 they believed 〈…〉 had power to break it as he had 〈…〉 of Ratisbone and 〈…〉 every one 〈…〉 joy what of right 〈…〉 to him 〈…〉 up Arms with no other 〈…〉 peace which the Cardinal 〈…〉 to deâ—iâ—e but did not so in 〈…〉 natural they should defend themselves 〈…〉 as they were able against the violent and 〈…〉 proceedings of the Minisâ—â—â— In 〈…〉 the three Eâ—tates of the Kingdom to 〈…〉 satisfaction for 〈…〉 had done them 〈…〉 such as 〈…〉 The Paâ—◠〈…〉 the Mareschal de Chatillon enter'd into the Principality of Sedan before the Enemies were in a condition to take the Field without doing any thing remarkable there But Lamboi having joyn'd these Princes at the beginning of July they marched together on the 5th of that month with eight thousand Foot and two thousand Horse to fight the Mareschal who had a thousand Horse and a thousand Foot more than they had * Siri Mer. T. 1. l. 2. p. 418. The Relation of the Battel of Sedan in the Mem. of Montresor p. 398. The Mareschal had positive Orders not to hazard a Battel and he only propos'd to himself to hinder them from passing the Meuse and entering the Kingdom according to the instructions he had received But the Enemies having passed the River within a quarter of a
blockade of Perpigaan and Salse marched afterwards into Catalonia to reinforce that of the Mareschal de la Mothe who put himself in readiness to oppose the Spanish forces which were now upon the confine and hoped to repair the loss of Rousillon by for considerable advantage Lerida was particular threatned and while Laganez marched thither on one side the Marquis de Torrecuse an Italian advanced on the other so that the Mareschal that followed the latter was not able to recard his march He was opinion to attack the place immediately without staying for the coming up of Leganez but the Spaniards that commanded under him opposed this motion This so mightily provoked him that he threw up his Command to the Marques d' Amposte who was one of them that had contradicted it the most This Spaniard that had not conduct enough to make his best advantage of the present conjuncture quitâ—â—d the post where he was for fear lest the French should cut off his provisions and so led his Troops to joyn Leganez The latter instead of following the advice of Torracuse who was insmiâ—ly more capable to command than himself constrained him to leave the Camâ— and go to meet the King at Saragossa nay he publickly own'd that tho he could conquer France if he follow'd the counsâ—l of this Italian yet he would refuse to do it The Spanish Army consisted of seventeen thousand Foot fifteen hundred Dragoons and six thousand Horse and had forty pieces of Cannon Almost all the Robility of Spain was there and particularly a great number of persons that had formerly served in the Armies belonging to that Crown so that they had reason to promise themselves good success The Army of the Mareschal de la Mothe consisted of no more than about eight thousand Foot and four thousand Horse but the experience of the General made amends for the small number of his Troops There was also this difference between the Spanish forces and those of France that the latter intirely relyed upon their General whereas a great part of the Spanish Army lost their courage when they saw the Marquis de Torrecuse leave them who was generally esteemed by all those that knew him The Armies being in this condition Leganez thought it his best way to attack La Mathe and marched towards him in order of Battel on the first of October On the seventh the Armes came in sight of one another and the French being sensible of the great inequality of their Troops endeavour'd to get the advantage of the ground by posting themselves upon imminent places where they had placed their Cannon so that there was no coming to them without sustaining the whole shock of their great Guns In the mean time the Spaniards advanced with extraordinary bravery and having given a vigorous onset immediately disordered the Cavalry of the Right Wing and put them to flight but they were beaten back on the Left where the Mareschal commanded in person The French Horse on the Right Wing abandon'd three pieces of Cannon to the Spaniards and Laganez fearing to lose them again gave orders to his men to carry them off from the place to joyn the Spanish Artillery In this interval his Van-guard which had gained them instead of continuing to charge the French stopt short till the three pieces of Cannon were carried off so that the Mareschal had time to rally his Cavalry and lead them on again to the Charge In a short time they return'd the like to the Spaniards and pursued them in disorder towards the body of their Army which they put into confusion The inequality of the Troops and the coming on of the night hindred the Mareschal from making his advantage of it and having sounded a retreat he retired to his Camp but being soon after informed that the Spaniards had withdrawn he came back to the Field of Battle where he passed the night to let the Enemy see that the advantage of the day belonged to him Leganez on his side writ to the Court that he had obtain'd a signal Victory over the French and that he had taken their Cannon However the loss was in a manner equal and it was computed that about five hundred men fell on both sides but the small number of the French rendred their advantages the more considerable besides that they had done what they at first proposed since by this means they hinderd the Spaniards from forming the siege of Lerida The Court of Spain made great rejoycing for this pretended Victory and 't is an ancient custom in that Country to feed the people with Chimerical News by dissembling or extenuating their losses and representing their Victories to be infinitely greater than in reality they are The Spaniards who seldom travel out of their own Country and scarce keep any correspondence with Forreigners cannot inform themselves of the truth but by Officers of their own Nation who serve in the King's Armies and as they are not unacquainted with the Maxims of the Court take care not to publish their losses Thus it is generally believed in Spain that the King's Forces are victorious in all places and that the remote Provinces in his possession still continue intire till the Treaties of Peace make them discover the contrary After all the particulars arrive to the knowledge but of a few persons and the Commonalty are still lulled asleep in their ancient errors Leganez ended the Campaign by the taking of some small Castles in the neighbourhood of Amposte and took so little care of provisions that his Army was obliged for the space of three days to feed up â—n Asses Flesh and mouldy Bisket which occasioned a great sickness among the men and forced them all to disperse in November This secured the French in the possession of Catalonia and encouraged the Catalonians in their Rebellion At last the King's Eyes were opened and he perceived that they had imposed upon him when they excused the conduct of Leganez The management of this Campaign sufficiently perswaded him that the complaints which the Italians had made against him so long ago were but too true The Artifices of the Count-Duke who began to sink very much in his credit with the King availed nothing So Leganez was deposed from his place of being General sent at first to Prison and afterwards as it were banished to his House in Madrid being forbid to stir out of it as well as to receive any visits Don Philip de Silva who had served a long while in the Armies of Spain without obtaining any honour there was put into his place after he had been disgraced for not relieving of Arras All Europe was surprized at so strange a choice but the scarcity of persons sir to command was 〈◊〉 that juncture so great in this Country that they â—â—â—â—d not tell upon whom to pitch While France obtained these advantages ever the Spaniards the House of Austria was full as unsuâ—â—â—ful in Germany * See the 14