Barneveldt she took part with the latter and used all her Endeavours to save his Life having founded her good Opinion of him upon his having been one of the chiefest Confidents of the Prince her Husband This Princess was my Father's greatest Support in his Long Embassy and rendred him always agreeable to the House of Orange This was a Favour which at that time he stood mightily in need of for the Court would suffer no person there but one that stood fair in the Opinion of that Family This Protection was so much the more advantageous and necessary to him because there were several Persons of Quality in France that were Brothers-in-Law or Cousins to Prince Maurice who used all their Endeavours to render him suspected and to have him recalled from that Employment which was the most considerable that could be hoped for from France in that Conjuncture All Europe was then in a profound Peace so all Embassies at other Courts lay dead and had no Action stirring that was considerable That of Holland only was of Importance by reason of the War which on their part was managed under the Conduct of that Famous Captain Count Maurice and in Flanders by the great General Ambrose Spinola a Genoese The English Scotch Danes Swedes the Germans those that were Protestants and the French went thither to learn the Rudiments of War under the Count and the Germans the Italians the Sicilians the Polanders and the Spaniards that were Catholicks did the same under the Marquess so it seemed as if all the whole Christian World was met in this little Corner of the Earth to learn how to fight against one another France then maintaining divers Companies of Foot and some Troops of Horse in that Countrey being very much interested in what concerned the Good of the United Provinces who then Employed the Arms of the Spaniards their ancient Enemies and having likewise very often an Occasion for the Assistance of the Dutch Men of War the Embassador had continually some matter of Importance to write to Court and to dispatch his Couriers thither Besides the King every year gave large Sums to the Hollanders for the Payment of the French Troops and the Embassador besides the Allowance for his Employment and his Pensions from Court had moreover fourscore thousand Livres a year as Treasurer in Holland and all the Money went through his Hand Besides the great Profit of this Employment there was likewise much Honour and Pleasure in the Service for all the French Nobility when they came from the University went to learn the Art of War under Prince Maurice as heretofore they had done in Piedmont under the great Mareschal Brisac In Winter the Hague was full of French Lords and Gentlemen who to honour their King and the Person of his Minister used to accompany him to his Audience of the States-General and it not being possible to provide Coaches for two or three hundred Gentlemen and Officers that sometimes came together the Embassador himself used to march on Foot at the Head of so splendid a Company and his Coach to follow after empty I shall spend no more time upon the Concerns of my Fathers Embassy or his Obligations to the Princess Louise of Orange but return to my principal Matter and relate what I know concerning Philip Prince of Orange eldest Son to William of Nassau by his first Wife Anne of Egmont PHILLIP WILLIAM Prince of Orange Philip William of Nassau Prince of Orange and Eleanor of Bourbon his Wife THis Prince was Godson to King Philip the Second and when Prince William his Father was forced to take Arms in his own Defence he studied in the Colledge of Lovaine where amongst other priviledges it is not permitted to arrest any person upon what account soever Notwithstanding this Iohn Vargas a Spaniard accompanied with several Souldiers of the same Nation took him thence by force pursuant to an Order from the Duke of Alva in spite of all the clamours of the Rector of the University who complaining vehemently and in good Latin that their Priviledges were violated was answered by Vargas very incongâ—…uously in this Barbarous expression Non curamus Privilegios vestros The Prince of Orange his Father complained of it by Publick Manifesto's which set forth the Cruelty of the Spaniards and proved that there were neither Laws nor Priviledges nor Innocence of Age that could exempt any person from their Tyranny This poor Child was carried Prisoner into Spain at 13 years old and shut up in a Castle in the Country where he could have no Education and where he pass'd the greatest part of his time in playing at Chess which the Governour of the Castle had taught him Towards the end of his Imprisonment which was about 30 years they allow'd him a little more Liberty This Prince was naturally Complaisant his Body sat and wore a very large Beard Being carried young into Spain he continued a Catholick so the Spaniards to justifie this unjust detention said they had brought him thither only to preserve him from the poyson of Heresie and to keep him in security from it During his stay in Spain the Captain who guarded him having spoke much to the disadvantage of Prince William his Father this generous Son push'd on by affection for his Father which animated him to resentment took him about the middle threw him out of the Window and broke his Neck He thought that so bold an action would bring him into trouble and indeed upon this occasion there were different advices given in King Philips Council but at last it was resolved to use mildness and indulgence in this encounter Gabriel Osorio a young Gentleman who was present at the action having reported it in favour of the Prince said the Governour had been wanting in his respect towards him so this death was allowed to his just resentment The Prince thought himself so obliged to Osorio for this favorable representation which he had made of him that he ever after kept him near his Person and bestow'd on him a great many favours At last King Philip II. either moved by so long a Captivity or weary of punishing the pretended Iniquity of the Father upon the Son that was Innocent or rather hoping that his deliverance would raise jealousies and divisions amongst the Brothers of the House of Orange as the escape of Monsieur de Guise from the Castle of Tours had caused amongst the heads of the League resolved to release him after so long an Imprisonment Then Count Maurice shewed upon this occasion that he had a Soul that was wholly disinterested and let him enjoy all the Estates which were then in his Possession as Breda and other places and Madam the Countess of Holoc his Sister by Father and Mother used him very generously making him a Thousand fair Offers and rich Presents upon his arrival in the Low Countries where they two met at Cleves but Count Maurice for fear of being suspected satisfied himself with
the ordinary Souldiers but even the Guards of the deceased Prince should take an Oath of Fidelity to the States of Holland This was unanimously carry'd notwithstanding all the representations made by the Princess his Mother who ineffectually labored to preserve him in those Offices which her Husband possessed and before him the other Princes of Orange the Royal Family of Great Britain from whom principally she could expect any assistance being at that time under an Eclipse through the wicked Machinations of those execrable Parricides who after they had barbarously Murder'd their lawful Soveraing King Charles I. of Blessed Memory by a train of Hypocrisy and other Villanies peculiar to their Party shared the Soveraignty between themselves Our Prince who like Hercules was to encounter Snakes in his Cradle suffer'd a great deal from the intreagues and contrivances of Barnevelt's Party now re-established in the Persons of the Messieurs De Witt. But he bore all with incredible moderation still waiting for a favorable opportunity to be restor'd to those dignities and great Employments he had been deprived of by a publick decree obtained by a predominant Faction immediately after the death of his Father It must be confessed that France in some measure contributed to his re-establishment altho without the least design to favour the Prince Heaven so ordering it that that mighty Monarch should ravage and almost destroy this flourishing Republic to convince the world at the same time that only the Family of the Founders of this Republic was capable to repair its Ruines and restore it to its former Grandeur The Reader can scarce imagine with what a prodigions torrent the King of France over-ran and surprized all the United Provinces obliging the greatest part of the Frontier Towns and other Capital Cities to surrender themselves Amongst the rest Utrecht and Zutphen open'd their Gates at the first approach of the Enemy for altho there were large Garrisons in both those places yet being composed of Burghers and commanded by Officers of little or no experience they were frighted at the sight of a well disciplin'd couragious army that knew how to make the best advantage of the victory and the fright they had put their enemies in These calamities which had been foreseen long before by some of the most prudent persons of these Provinces as they occasioned a general consternation so they gave the people subject to complain of the ill conduct of the Mrs de Wit who at that time had all the authority of the Government in their hands and by this means furnished the friends of the House of Nassau with a favourable opportunity to speak their thoughts upon what passed at that time Which they did by way of advice to the People giving them to understand that the Princes of Orange were probably the only Persons that were able to support their tottering State and to defend them against their most puissant Enemies Adding that as these illustrious Princes had formerly deliver'd them from the tyranny of the Spaniards so they alone could stop the fury and career of the French The Princess Dowager Grand mother to his Highness a Lady of incomparable prudence and of a courage above her Sex did not contribute a little by her address to awaken those Persons that were in her interests and who were not inconsiderable for their number These at last not being able to see themselves any longer despised or that all the great Offices of State shou'd be thrown away upon Persons that were not worthy of them and at the same time making use of the fury of the people who justly alarm'd to see a victorious Army in the bowels of their Country spoke of nothing but Sacrificing the De Witts managed their affairs so dexterouslâ—… that they attained their designs for after the Prince had made a Journey towards the beginning of the Year 1672 to visit the fortifications of some Places the States of Holland and West-Frizeland being assembled it was unanimously agreed that he should be chose General of their Army which was notified next day to the States General and on the 24th of February the Prince having accepted their offer took the Oaths before them with the accustomed Ceremonies It is very remarkable that the Peasants of West-Frizeland who make excellent Souldiers wou'd not take up Arms but with this condition that they should swear to be true to the Republic and to obey the States and his Highness the Prince of Orange The immoderate ambition of some Persons had formerly occasion'd two fatal Factions who to fortify their own particular interests weakned the Nerves of the public security which made those who had the greatest Credit with the People commit the greatest Solecism's in matter of Policy that any Party can be guilty of For these short-sighted Statesmen imagining that after the Peace of Munster there was nothing left them to fear and that no body cou'd hurt them in their Pretensions but the too great power of the House of Nassau by reason of its Alliances with France and particularly with England they casheer'd their Troops composed of old Soldiers and experienced Captains who had preserved the Country but were looked upon to be intirely devoted to the Prince of Orange and at the same time gave the greatest Posts in their Army and in their Garrisons to the Sons of Burgher Masters and Deputies of Cities People who however brave they might be in their own Persons were for the most part of little or no experience as having never seen a Battle and this was the reason that when they came to be surprized by a vigorous Enemy whole Cities altho they had in Garrison five thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse surrendred at discretion without discharging one Gun at the first sight and appearance of the Enemy Thus Faction and Interest that are commonly the destruction of the most flourishing Kingdoms having reduced the States General to the brink of despair they were constrained to have recourse to their last Asylum the Prince of Orange in order to avoid their approaching ruine and to place the little hope that was remaining in the hands of one person whom the prevailing party had formerly rejected with a great deal of ingratitude and who indeed did not deserve such a hard destiny for in fine Children ought not to be responsible for the actions of their Fathers when they have by no means justified them The Prince had no sooner accepted the high Charge of General of the Armies which was presented to him from the part of the States by Monsieur de Beverning Iohn de Wit and Gaspar Fagel but he immediately repaired to the Army which was then posted near Nieu Rop where all he couâ—…d do against the united forces of the French commanded by the King in person was to keep his post And this he performed with so much conduct that the Enemy as powerful as he was cou'd have no advantage over him on that side On the other hand thinking
to him to poison or kill the Prince of Orange after examination of the matter the Baoliff was apprehended and put in Prison and altho he denied what was laid to his charge by throwing back the same crime upon his Accuser in order to justifie himself to the Prince and People nevertheless being confronted with the Chyrurgeon who still persisted in his Accusation which he confirmed by a promise that he said the Bailiff had made him of 300000 Franks for a recompence and of six Ducatoons which he had given him in hand and by several other circumstances usual in affairs of this nature the Court of Holland after they had maturely considered the report made by the Advocate General condemned Cornelius to be divested of all his dignities and employments and to be perpetually banished out of the Territories of Holland and Friezeland But the people seeing the States had pushed on the matter so far and imagining that a Criminal who was treated with so much severity wou'd have received a greater punishment if the Judges had not favoured him began to murmur at the Sentence as too mild and gentle and immediately ran towards the Prison with weapons in their hands It hapned at this moment that Iohn de Wit came in his Coach to take his Brother out of Prison when one of the Burghers dropping these words amongst the people Now the two Traytors are together and it is our fault if they scape us This was enough to animate the Mobb who were heated enough before but another thing happen'd that helped to exasperate them more which was that whilst the people were waiting for the coming out of the two Brothers some body or other had maliciously spread a report that above a thousand Peasants and Fishermen were marching towards the Hague to plunder it Upon which another Burgher saying Come along Gentlemen let us make these Traytors come out follow me and I will show you the way These words inflamed them to the highest degree so they immediately burnt the Prison-gates drew out the two Brothers by main violence dragg'd them about the streets murder'd them and cut them to pieces crying aloud Behold the Traytors that have betray'd their Country Thus fell Cornelius and Iohn de Witt two sworn Enemies of the House of Orange 'T is commonly pretended that Iohn was Author of these politic resolutions viz. the exclusion of his Royal Highness from all his Offices of the perpetual Edict and of the Qualities requisite for a Stadt-holder Min Heer Fagel succeeded the Pensioner in his place the Prince of Orange having approved his election The Elector of Brandenburgh writ a Letter to the States in favour of the Prince telling them that since he heard his R. Highness was re-established in the dignities of his Ancestors he did not doubt but Heaven would prosper a resolution so advantageous to the public especially since he knew the Prince inherited all the Vertues of his Glorious Predecessors protesting besides that he found himself obliged since his Elevation to contribute all that lay in his power to assist the Prince to recover and preserve what his Ancestors had acquired at the expence of their own blood with so much reputation to themselves About this time the Prince being resolved to dislodge the advanced Guards of the French made a Detachment of Horse and Foot and with them gives an Alarm to the Enemy whom he chased as far as their trenches before Utrecht disheartened with the loss of their own men before Cronemburgh While both Parties were thus busied in the Feild there was great changing of the Magistrates in most of the Cities to the great satisfaction of the Inhabitants who now hoped to see their Country enjoy its ancient Tranquillity His Highness not being any longer able to suffer the corruption of Military Discipline which had been so fatal to the Republic in general ordered several Officers to be punished for their Cowardice and Treachery But nothing touched him so sensibly as to see the Season almost past without any considerable action which made him resolve to attack Narden For this purpose he commands Coll. Zulestein and Count Horn to advance the first to take his quarters between Utrecht and Narden and the other to intrench himself at Polanen on the Mill side His Highness intrenched on that part near Bodegrave with four Regiments The Duke of Luxemburgh made all imaginable haste to relieve the besieged and with about eight or nine thousand men fell upon the quarter of Coll. Zulestein but was repulsed with loss and forced to retire The Town was afterwards batter'd in a very furious manner and reduced to such extremities that they sent Deputies to capitulate But in this interval the Duke of Luxemburgh having received a new reinforcement marched by a way full of water by the help of some Peasants who served him as Guides he once more attacqued when they least expected him the very same quarters of Coll. Zulestein from whence he had been beaten the night before and after a bloody resolute dispute wherein the Collonel was slain having refused quarter the Duke at last threw three thousand men by way of relief into the Town Nevertheless he was repulsed the second time by Count Horn and forced to leave his Prisoners behind him Of the French there were 2000 killed and fifty Officers who dyed of their wounds within 5 days after the engagement without reckoning those that lost their Arms and Legs upon this occasion Which caused so great a consternation amongst the French that were at Utrecht that after this time the Officers drew lots when they were go out in any Parties against the Prince of Orange Of the Hollanders were slain Six or Seven Hundred Men besides Coll. Zulestein and a Lieutenant Collonel His Highness seeing the City had received so considerable a relief retired to his own Quarters with the honor of a compleat Victory and raised the Seige without the least loss having defeated almost five entire Regiments the greatest part of their Officers being either slain or mortally wounded and having twice repulsed an old General who had never succeeded in his design had it not been for the perfidiousness of the Peasants After the unsuccessful attempt upon Narden his Highness assembled a Council of War at which the principal Officers of the Army assisted and having commanded the Horse that were quartered at Helden to hinder the English Merchandise from being transported from Rotterdam to Brabant he marched himself to Rosendael which was the place of the general Randezvous from whence with an Army composed of Twenty four Thousand Horse and Foot he took his march directly to the Country of Liege At his approach the Count de Duras who was at Moseyk retired with his Army to Vassemburgh and higher towards the River Roer 'T was believed that his Highness's principal design was to chase the French from their quarters near the Meuse and give battle to the Count de Duras who commanded the Enemy's Troops in
case he found a favorable opportunity to do it To effect this having passed his Army upon a bridge of boats near Navagne and joyned the Auxiliaries which came to him from Spain he marched directly to Tongres and invested it on all sides with the Spanish Cavalry and his own He had no sooner done this but news was brought him that the Count de Duras had decamped upon which repassing the Meuse between Sittart and Maseik he encamped near Ainsberg where he continued two days to see if he cou'd engage the Count to give him battle but the River which was swell'd with the late rains not favouring his design he returned the same way to Mastricht from whence he detach'd a party of Horse and Foot to possess themselves of the Castle of Valcheron This Castle was strongly fortified but after some resistance surrendred at discretion They found in it great quantity of Hay and Corn and other Provisions After this his Highness marched to Lewick hoping to engage the Enemy but the Count had retired in mighty speed and was got at such a distance from the Princ's Army that it was impossible to overtake him At last perceiving that the Count de Duras had no mind to hazard a battle he ordered the Count de Marcin to invest Charleroy with the Van-guard while he himself followed with the main body of the Army but the weather was so violently cold that it was impossible to open the Trenches or to make the least circumvallation so that after he had made himself Master of Bins taking three Captains with Three Hundred Soldiers Prisoners pillaged and demollished the Town he marched back the same way and put his Army into Winter Quarters The Count de Montal who sometimes shut himself up in Tongres and sometimes in Charleroy because he was afraid for both these places and yet could not tell which of them the Prince would besiege was much mistaken to imagine that the Prince would undertake a long siege in the most rigorous season of the Year However it was very remarkable That a young General who commanded an Army composed of so many different Nations should be able to march in the midst of so violent a Winter into the Enemies Country to beat an old General from his post to offer him battle and for this purpose to follow him from place to place to alarm two strong Garrisons and return home with abundance of Prisoners and the booty of two fortified places and all this in the compass of nine days without the loss of any of his men or at least very few Not to mention the terror he put the Archbishop of Colen in who neither thought himself safe at Bonn or any other place within his own Territories while the Prince was so near him During the Prince's Expedition the Duke of Luxemburg got together an Army of Forty Thousand Horse and Foot with a resolution to conquer the Province of Holland and hoping to enrich himself and his men with the pillage of Leyden and the Hague designed to march upon the Ice with the Flower of the French Army towards the end of December but being arrived at Slinwetering he found the Waters so high that only Three Thousand five Hundred Foot could pass the rest being obliged to return to Naerden This party first attacked Nieucrop but was repulsed by the Peasants so that he marched toward Swammerdam where the Soldiers were the first that fled leaving the Inhabitants to the Mercy of the Enemy Nevertheless Count Koningsmark who commanded at Bodegrave having advice of the coming of the French made all imaginable haste to march by Leiden and posted a Regiment at Goursluys to hinder their incursions on that side This desperate and unexpected march of the French at first put the people into a great consternation particularly those of the Hague but nothing discouraged them so much as to hear that while the States took all imaginable care to prevent the Enemies returning Collonel Painvin had abandoned his Post at Niewerbourg and retired to Tergou By this means the Enemy had an open free passage to go home when they pleased whereas otherwise they must either have perished in the Water or else surrendred themselves at discretion by reason of the great Thaw which followed soon after But all their fears and apprehensions vanish'd at the Prince of Orange's return who having at Breda received advice of this enterprize of the French arrived with incredible diligence at Alfen and in a short time his presence re-established every thing as before All this while the Duke of Luxemburg ravaged the heart of the Country where he had like to have lost his life by a fall from his Horse into the water which was thaw'd his people saving him not without a great deal of difficulty But tho he made a shift to escape it did not fare so well with Six Hundred of his best Soldiers who there perished Thus ended this bold and hazardous Expedition It is certain the French committed unheard of cruelties at Swammerdam and all other places that fell into their hands ravishing the women stripping and wounding young and old and throwing Children into the Fire But these losses nevertheless were in some manner recompenced by the taking of Coeverden which is one of the strongest Cities in the Low Countries the Key of Friezland and Groningen encompassed on all sides with a Morass fortified with large deep double Ditches the Ramparts extreamly high and strong and defended by seven Bastions that carry the names of the seven United Provinces and a very regular Castle looked upon by ancient Writers to be impregnable This City fell into the hands of the Bishop of Munster in the fatal Year 1672 not without suspicion of Treachery But Fortune now declining to espouse the French Interest any longer since his Highness was restored to all his paternal dignities it was retaken with as much gallantry and courage as it had been lost with dishonor and cowardice For this very same place which Verdugo had in vain besieged for the space of one and thirty weeks together and which the Bishop of Munster after he had rendred himself Master of it had plentifully stored with provisions out of a prospect of making it the Magazine for those parts was by a party of Nine Hundred and Sixty men only commanded by M. de Rabenhaut retaken in less than an hour without the loss of more than Sixty men whereas the Enemy lost above an Hundred and fifty besides the Officers that were slain at the assault and four Hundred and thirty Prisoners taken of which number were six Captains eleven Lieutenants and fourteen Ensigns The rest of the Garrison for in all it consisted of Nine Hundred men saved themselves by a precipitate flight as soon as they saw the City was lost But what was most considerable there was found in this important Fortress such a prodigious quantity of all warlike Ammunitions and other Provisions that without question the Enemy
body to put in his or their place such Person or Persons as he should think fit provided they made profession of the Reformed Religion having a due regard to their Age Birth Estates and such other circumstances that after the first nomination and election of a Governour General all vacancies of Bailiffs of Towns Presidents Advocates and in short of all civil and military Offices should be at his disposal After this a form of an Oath was agreed upon which all that were present were to take without further scruple and all others should be obliged to do the same according to their several functions And when the following proposition was made whether it were advisable to confer the Charge of Governour General Captain and Admiral General of the Province upon his Highness and his heirs male lawfully begotten they all nemine contradicente approv'd the motion and so conserr'd that Dignity upon his Highness At the same time General Rabenhaupt with the Militia of Frizeland and Groningen reinforced with the Regiment of Bumarnia took the field and made himself master of Northom which he fortified with sixteen Companies of Horse and six of Foot and from thence advancing to Tuvent took several other places of less importance designing to chase all the Munsterians out of that part of the Country and to that end marched as far as Nienbuys The Enemy was no sooner informed of the General 's march but they invested Northom with five Regiments of Horse three Companies of Dragoons and three hundred Foot commanded by General Nagel and beat the advanced Guards back into the Town General Rabenhaupt had no sooner received intelligence of this but he came back the same way to relieve the place which he performed so happily that the Enemy was obliged to betake themselves to flight after they had lost a hundred and seventy of their men of which number sixscore were slain upon the place and the rest made prisoners The next day he return'd to Nienbuys and being resolved to make short work on 't gave orders to five Regiments to make an Assault in five several places all at the same time which they executed with that bravery that after a quarter of an hours resistance the enemy was forced to retire into the Castle which was encompassed but with one single Rampart and defended with no more than two pieces of Cannon The Besiegers who pushed the point home were now just ready to enter the Castle when the enemy begged quarter which was granted them The Garrison consisted of three hundred Foot thirteen Officers and two hundred and seventy Horse and Dragoons with fifteen Officers General Rabenhaupt after so happy a success put his small body of an Army into Winter quarters which news being brought to Nagel he came back again to Nyenbuys and retook it for the Bishop of Munster But the Bishop either dreading these uncertain chances of War or rather fearing the approach of the Imperialists made his peace with the Emperour Which so mightily alarm'd the French who were still in possession of their Frontier Towns in the Low-Countries that the Marquess de Bellefonds who succeeded the Mareschal d' Humieres in the Government of the Conquer'd Provinces resolved to abandon the rest pretending he had occasion for the men to preserve those Conquests they had made upon the Rhine Besides being informed that the Prince of Orange designed to march into Brabant with thirty Thousand men there to joyn the Spanish Army that was composed of twenty Thousand instead of fortifying the places of his Government he began to demolish them Thiel compounded for Twenty two Thousand Florins to preserve themselves from fire and plunder which they threatned them with and to save their Fortifications The Town of Zutphen promised Seventy Thousand and gave Hostages for the security of payment Arnheim paid Twenty six Thousand Florins and four Thousand Sacks of Corn and Meal which the Magistrates of the Town engaged to see carried to Grave Deventer paid six Thousand Rixdollars to the Bishop of Munster Thus the whole Province of Overyssel regained its ancient liberty and returned to its natural and lawful Soveraigns After which his Highness sent Commissioners thither to make some necessary alterations and regulate affairs till he had an opportunity to come himself in person and put a full conclusion to them The King of France seem'd to be exceedingly displeased with the conduct of the Marquis de Bellefonds so that he banished him to Bourges with a prohibition to come near the Court altho all the world knew this was only a meer pretence to conceal his present necessities and that he was forced to exhaust his Garrisons in the Low-Countries to reinforce his Army which he had designed for the Conquest of the Franche-Comte But the honour of all these desertions was justly attributed to the Prince of Orange for he like another Scipio carrying the war into the Enemy's Territories in less than two years forced all these French Hannibals to quit his own Country and seek their fortune elsewhere In the mean time the King of France endeavouring like the Sea to gain in one place what he had lost in another entred the Franche Comte with a prodigious Army which joyning with another that was commanded by the Prince of Conde became so formidable that in a short time he made himself Master of Besançon Dole Salins and in short of the whole Province While these two Armies were thus joyn'd the Prince of Orange repaired to his Army at Berghen op Zoom from whence he marched to Malines and kept himself on his guard in Brabant during all the time the French King was in the Neighbourhood but this Monarch being return'd to Paris after his new Couquest where he lost both abundance of brave Officers and of his best Souldiers the Imperialists threw themselves into Namur took the Castle and Dinant and the passage of the Meuse being by this means opened they went to joyn the Army of the Confederates towards the end of Iuly The three Generals after some conference order'd that the Count de Souches should lead the Van his Highness command the Main Body and the Count de Montery the Rear In this order the Confederates prepared to attack the Prince of Conde who with an Army of Fifty Thousand men was encamped on the other side the River Pieton to prevent the designs of the Enemy The Confederates who had an Army of Sixty Thousand men resolved to set upon the Prince and give him battle With this prospect they marched strait upon him having abundance of all sorts of provisions which came daily out of Brabant With this resolution the Confederate Army arrived at Nivelle by the beginning of August where they incamped for some days But because they saw the Prince of Conde was by no means disposed to quit his post but on the other hand was still fortifying himself more and more within his Trenches the Confederates judged it expedient to approach nearer to him
to see if he would not be willing to hazard a battle in open field Being therefore advanced within five or six mile of the French Camp they did all that in them lay to make him leave his strong scituation but 't was to no purpose for the Prince whether he had received orders from the King or this was his own proper sense of the affair would by no means quit it And now the Confederate Army finding that all their efforts were in vain resolved to attack some important place not doubting but the Prince would leave his post to come and relieve it and so they should bring their designs about This resolution being taken the Prince of Orange decamped from Senef and marched strait on the side of Bins The Imperialists had the Vanguard the Hollanders the Main Body and the Spaniards the Rear and because the passage was narrow the Cavalry marched on the left the Infantry in the midst and the Artillery with all the baggage on the left also and to secure their march the Prince de Vaudemont still kept behind with four Thousand Horse and some Dragoons The Prince of Conde being informed of their March and knowing perfectly well the difficulty of the ways through which the Confederates were to pass took care to range his Army in order However not thinking it safe for him to engage the whole Army of the Confederates he suffer'd the Vanguard with a considerable part of their Main Body to pass some leagues before and when he saw they were too far advanced to return soon enough he believed he might now fall upon the Rear Thus the Prince came out of his Trenches and attack'd Vaudemont's Horse who seeing himself in a Country where the Horse could do no great service by reason of the Hedges and Ditches sent presently to the Prince of Orange for two Battalions of his best Foot while he with his Horse kept the Enemy in play His Highness sent him three under the command of young Prince Maurice of Nassau who as soon as they came up were placed on the other side of Senef all before the Horse in a four square body And now the whole Army of the Prince of Conde being come out of their Trenches 't was judged convenient to send for the Troops that were on the other side of the River that runs by Senef and then they placed the three Battalions that before were posted in the Wood directly against the Bridge of Senef over which the French were to pass They were no sooner got thither but the French attack'd 'em all at once Horse Foot and Dragoons Tho they began this attack with wonderful vigor yet they were not able to force the Enemy from his Post so that they were forced to draw off and make a Bridge over the River somewhat higher Having by this means joyn'd all their forces together the Confederate Horse ranged themselves behind the Infantry but so that they might come upon occasion to their relief In the mean time the Foot fired so warmly upon the French that passed the River that abundance of them were killed but the Confederates being unhappily straitned for want of ground and the French setting upon them as they came out of the Wood on all sides their Foot was obliged to retreat being overwhelmed by the excessive number of their Enemies which was the reason that they lost several of their principal Officers Young Prince Maurice who commanded the Brigade was made a Prisoner with several Officers more and Coll. Macovits was killed As soon as the Infantry of the Confederates was retired the French fell with great vigour upon the Horse commanded by the Prince de Vaudemont and the Prince of Conde began to range his Army in form of battel commanding his Foot to march secretly under the covert of the Hedges and Bushes The Confederate Horse had orders to charge them and as they were going to do it found the way was so hollow between the Enemy and them that they were obliged to turn about to the right and joyn the rest of the Army lest the Enemy perceiving their retreat should charge them in the Flank The French observing this turn'd to the left and made so much hast to charge this body of Horse that Prince Vaudemont had only time enough to range his three Battalions to endeavour to make head against the Enemy This first onset proved unlucky to the Confederates for the three Commanders in chief of this Brigade were taken Prisoners with several other Persons of Quality as the Duke of Holstein the Prince de Solmes and Monsieur de Langerac and many more were there slain Whatever care was taken to make these four Battalions rally again it could never be effected for away they ran without making the least discharge upon the Enemy Prince Vaudemont gave convincing proofs of an extraordinary valour but all his efforts were to no purpose The Prince of Orange likewise discovered an undaunted bravery behaving himself in all respects like an Old experienced General for he got before these affrighted Troops with his Sword in his hand and endeavoured by all sorts of perswasions and by his own example to encourage them to renew the fight exposing himself frequently to the danger of being killed or made a Prisoner but he was not able to stop them till they met a body of Spanish Horse posted at the bottom of a little Hill between them and the Village of Fay. Another Party of these Runaways joyn'd themselves to sixteen Battalions commanded by the Duke de Villa Hermosa who marched at the head of his Troops to oppose the French who pursued them and did every thing that could be expected from a person of his valour and conduct in the miserable condition that things were then in The rest of the Confederates rallied togather with a body of Foot posted likewise at the Foot of the same Hill On the other side the Prince of Conde who had advanced so far in pursuing the fugitives fell with that fury upon the Spanish Horse and the Foot whom he chased that the Marquis d' Assentar was forced to send for four other Regiments from the Foot of the Hill to reinforce his Cavalry Which the Prince of Conde observing he ordered five or six Battalions to advance immediately with a Brigade of Horse and dividing his Troops on the right and the left he charged the Cavalry of the Confederates in the Front and put them in disorder The Marquess did all he could by his own example to rally his men and begin the Battel afresh till at last being wounded in seven places he was killed at the head of his own Troops The Cavalry being thus in disorder he attempted to break his way through four Battalions of Foot that were come to their relief and put them in great confusion notwithstanding the conduct of the Duke de Villa Hermosa and Prince Vaudemont who used all the means imaginable to make them rally They likewise disordered
recruits on that side sent three fresh Battalions to support his own as likewise to guard the plain that was behind the Hedges But the two first Regiments basely quitted their Post upon the first approach of the Enemy so that the other three Regiments that were sent to their assistance having not sufficient time to adjust themselves and seeing the two first Battalions run away betook themselves to their Heels and breaking into their own Squadrons that stood there to cover them occasioned an extraordinary confusion Upon this the French Cavalry coming to advance and being supported by the Infantry that made perpetual firing the Prince's Squadrons were beaten back but they did not go far and soon rallied again and poured so vigorously upon the French that they made them fly in their their turn In the mean time the Enemy's Foot being advanced above and having possessed the Hedges where the Prince's men were posted before they cou'd not possibly make a long resistance nor hinder the rest of the Foot from being attacked in the Flank as well as the Front So that the Foot after they had done their duty extremely well saw themselves obliged to quit their post and the Prince repassing the Rivet retir'd in very good order to Steenword and from thence to Poperdingue the Enemy having been so rudely handled by Count Waldeck who commanded the Prince's Right Wing that they had no desire to pursue him And this was the issue of the battel at Mont cassel The Prince having retired in this manner as we have related it the French King pursued the Siege of the Cittadel of Cambray with all imaginable vigor and it fell out very unfortunately for the besieged that a Bomb set fire on one of their Magazines where the Granadoes and other warlike Provisions lay and utterly consumed it However the besieged continued to defend themselves bravely and recompenced their loss in some manner by the death of the Marquess de Renel one of the French King's Lieutenant Generals who was slain by a Cannon-shot from the Castle But at last the French having made several breaches and the Governour of the Cittadel being wounded they were constrained to yield to the great number and continual attacks of the Enemy and to surrender the Castle which was done on very honorable conditions To return to the Duke of Orleans altho victorious he was so afraid lest the Prince should once more attempt to throw relief into St Omers that he durst not quit the field where the battle was fought but kept himself upon his guard for eight days successively But when he received the News that his Highness had passed the Canal of Ghent with all his Forces he returned before the Town which he besieged with his whole Army and after a gallant resistance which cost him several of his best Officers they were forced against their will to surrender upon good terms After the taking of these places the French heat began to be somewhat abated and those that were so forward to attack others were now content to act on the defensive all the rest of the Summer and durst never put it to the hazard of a battle altho it was often presented to them So that after several tedious marches and counter-marches on both sides and the Confederates ineffectual laying Siege to Charleroy which for several weighty considerations they thought expedient to raise the Prince returned to the Hague being accompanied by the Earl of Ossory Don Carlos the Duke of Albemarle and several other Persons of Quality After he had given the States General an account of the last Campaign with the reasons that obliged him to raise the Siege of Charleroy and not to attack the Enemy who were not only superior to him in number but posted to the greatest advantage Their High and Mightinesses thanked him for his conduct and indefatigable pains humbly beseeching him still to continue his zeal for the public Interest A little after his return to the Hague several of the English Nobility arrived at the Prince's Court who in an Assembly of the States General gave them to understand that his Unkle the King of Great Britain earnestly desired him to make a Voyage into England in hopes that his presence there would not a little contribute to the Peace then in agitation which would be of such mighty advantage to the Republic Thus his Highness took his leave of the States and of all theColledges on the 17th of October and being accompany'd by the Earl of Ossory Monsieur d' Odyk the Count de Nassau and several other persons of condition he embarqued at Hellevoetsluys in one of his Majesties Yatchs and arrived at Harwich on the 19th about ten in the morning where the Duke of Albemarle and the Master of the Ceremonies attended him in the King's Coaches and conducted him the same evening to the King and his Royal Highness at Ipswich who received him with all the testimonies of a particular kindness and affection On the 23d he arrived with the two Royal Brothers at Whitehall and was lodged in the Duke of York's apartment who retired to St. Iames's What was at first nothing but a bare surmize was soon after confirmed by the King himself For on the first of November his Majesty acquainted the Council with his design to marry the Prince of Orange to his Royal Highness's eldest Daughter declaring that he hoped this Alliance would facilitate the accomplishment of a General Peace which his Majesty was resolved to advance as far as the Interest of his Kingdoms did engage him After this the whole Council went in a body to compliment the Princess and afterwards the Prince the rest of the Nobility did the same after their example The Prince of Orange acquainted the States with it by an Express giving them to understand that after he had maturely weigh'd the reasons which might incline him to marry he thought he could not make a better choice than the Princess Mary that he had already demanded her in Marriage of the King and his Royal Highness her Father who immediately gave their consent that he judged it advisable to inform them of it expecting their approbation of the Match with all speed that he might the sooner repair to them for the service of his Country Hereupon the States General were assembled and seriously considering the reasons of State upon which this Marriage was founded with the great advantages it might produce as for instance a confirmation of that strict Union that was between the King of Great Britain and the States of the United Provinces the establishment of the ancient House of Orange and the conclusion of the Peace so earnestly desired I say after they had seriously considered all this but especially the happy choice his Highness had made of a Princess who besides her natural sweetness possessed all the virtues that a Husband could desire testified their approbation by a public Edict in terms full of joy and satisfaction declaring
different interests and parties demanded to be satisfied was not to be so speedily concluded as those persons who impatiently wished for it did imagine The very preliminaries of this numerous Assembly at Nimeguen cou'd not be regulated in the compass of one winter and notwithstanding all the instances and application of the King of Great Britain those that reasoned solidly saw well enough that the Peace was in no great readiness Nor were their conjectures vain for no sooner was the year 1677 begun but tho it was the depth of winter the French marched directly into the Spanish Netherlands so that in a short time all the places about Valenciennes Cambray and St. Omers were covered with the Enemies Troops and these three Cities were in a manner blocked up at a distance The French openly boasting that they wou'd make themselves Masters of two important places before the Spaniards were in a condition to take the Field Valenciennes was the first place that was invested with a Army of 50 or 60 thousand men under the command of the Duke of Luxemburg and the Count de Montal and four days after the King himself arrived in person in the Camp There was in the City a Garrison of 2000 Spanish Walloon and Italian Foot with about 1000 Horse and Dragoons commanded by the Marquis de Risburg Brother to Prince d'Epinoy TheKing after his arrival view'd the posts gave orders for the Trenches to be opened and set up Batteries In fine the siege was so vigorously pushed on in a few days that the French were advanced as far as the Glacis of the Counterscrap and a Horn work that was one of the best defences the City had But the King not being willing to lose time in taking all the Out-works regularly order'd an Assault to be made on the Horn-work in four different places all at once by eight in the morning and to facilitate this enterprize alarmed the Besieged all the night with throwing of Bombs Granadoes and Carcasses which had the desired effect For after a short dispute the French enter'd the Town losing no more in this expedition than only Count de Barlemont a Collonel of the Regiment of Picardy three Musqueteers six Granadiers and some Souldiers The King having thus carried Valenciennes sate down before Cambray with part of his Army commanded by the Duke of Luxemburg and order'd the Mareschal d'Humieres to invest St. Omers with another part Cambray is one of the oldest Cities in the Low Countries built ever since the time of Servius Hostilius but the Castle was built by Charles the Fifth upon which account the Spaniards took great care to preserve it There were in Garrison fourteen hundred Horse four Regiments of Foot besides two Companies of old Spanish Souldiers under the command of Don Pedro de Laval the Governour The Cathedral was in so great veneration for the beauty of the structure that the Canons came out of the Town and presented a Petition to the King wherein they requested him not to fire at the Church which he freely granted The lines of Circumvallation were no sooner finished but the King commanded an Assault to be made on the two Half-moons on the Castle side which the French having soon made themselves Masters of they immediately began to undermine the Ramparts this put the Besieged into such a consternation that they desired to Capitulate and surrendred the Town on very honourable Conditions But tho the Town was lost the Castle held â—…ut still for the Governour taking advantage of the Cessation of Arms gave orders in the mean time to have some Cannon and other necessary provisions got ready commanded all the Horses to be slain only reserving ten for each Company and thus retired into the Castle with all his Souldiers before the French had the least suspicion of it being resolved to sell the Castle dearer than he had done the City The King was obliged to cease for some time not only because the French Pioneers were repulsed by the Besieged in a Sally they had made to prevent their approach but also because he was informed that the Prince of Orange was marching to the relief of St. Omers he sent the Duke of Luxemburg with a great part of his Army to reinforce his Brother the Duke of Orleance who had set Siege to that City and had already finished his Batteries For the news of the great success which the French King had at Valenciennes and Cambray and the Siege of St. Omers had so mightily alarmed the United Provinces that the Prince of Orange was forced to take the Field before the rest of the Confederates were ready to joyn him He assigned Ipres for the general Rendezvous of his Army which was composed of Dutch and some other Troops drawn out of the Spanish Garrisons and began his March on the 7th of April and on the 9th arrived at St. Mary Capel where he was informed that the D. of Orleans lay encamped on the great road to St. Omers and had only left a few Regiments in the Trenches to keep the City blocked up The straitness of the ways which he was to pass made his March very tedious so that after he had marched all the next day he advanced no farther than a small River called Pene on the other side of which he perceived the Enemy drawn up in battle The Prince having consulted his Guides and those that knew the Country they all assured him that there was no other passage than this to go to Bacque which they looked upon to be the only place by which St. Omers might be reliev'd Upon this consideration he resolved to pass the River and set upon the Enemy and having ordered some new Bridges to be made and repaired those that the French had broke down he accordingly passed it on the 11th of April by break of day so that all were got over before the Enemy was aware of them But when he had passed it with his Troops he was very much surprized to find that there was another River still between the French and him encumbred with Trees and Hedges altho those that were acquainted with the Country had assured him of the contrary so that he found himself strangely embarass'd as not having in the least expcteed this second Obstacle But this did not hinder him from making himself Master of the Abby de Pienes but in the mean time the Enemy having received a reinforcement of fifteen Thousand men came to attack the Abby where the Prince's Dragoons were posted who being supported by some Regiments of Foot received them so warmly that they were forced to retire After this the Prince set fire to the Abby least the Enemy should post themselves there At the same time the French advanced slowly with the right Wing of their Army to charge the Prince's left Wing in the Flank which was covered with abundance of Hedges where were likewise posted two Battalions The Prince perceiving that the Enemy had received some new