Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	army_n	english_a	king_n	4,765	5	3.8746	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62267	An impartial relation of all the transactions between the army of the confederates and that of the French king in their last summers campaign in Flanders, with a more particular respect to the battle of Fleury the character of the generals and the reasons of that most unhappy miscarriage : with a list of the great officers slain : also observations on the grand consultations at the Hague ... by W. Sawle ...	Sawle, William, b. 1654 or 5.	1691 (1691)	Wing S783; ESTC R17139	19,531	34

the Spoil and Plunder of the Field to the Conquering French And now a great Consternation was presently spread over all the Netherlands and People began immediately to fear what great Progress the French might make in pursuit of their Victory some thought they would March and Besiege Charleroy which was reported at that time to be but ill Stored Others thought they would press on and follow the broken Army of the States General and most that they would try to force Castanaga but none of these surmises happened the French Army stay'd nigh Three Weeks near the place where they won the Battle They had receiv'd a severe Blow in getting the Victory their Army must be again refreshed and recruited which would take up some time that the Camp-Volant of Castanaga was strong and firm consisting of 13000 strong and could in spight of them retire and joyn Waldeck Immediately upon the Loss of the Battle the States had sent a Passionate Express to the Duke of Brandenburgh who with his Army lay towards the Moselle That he would be pleased to March with all speed and joyn their Army or to lye nigh them to be able to assist on all occasions and those all joyned together would make a Formidable Body The French indeed assay'd if they could to hinder their joyning but it came to nothing the Elector Marching another way than what they imagined In the mean while we the British Brigade were Ship'd on Bilanders at Ghent on the River Scheld and in three or four days came to a place called Vilvord on the Canall of Brussels about two Leagues from the City and not above a Mile and half from the Camp of Prince Waldeck It was not thought convenient for us to take our Posts and to Incorporate in the Army in one Camp but we were alotted a Piece of Ground by our selves at a Village called Park towards the said Castle of Vilvoord This is an Ancient Palace or Cittadel now very Ruinous especially on the Inside and by its Ruines Height Compass and Scituation shows it was the Place of great Personages but in these latter Times 't is very Famous for being the Noble Prison of the Spanish Netherlands If any great Courtier or Lord or any Governor of a Town or considerable Officer of an Army shall be suspected of Falshood or Betraying his Trust he without any noise is presently seized and sent to this Castle where he must undergo strict Imprisonment and a stricter Tryal In former Times they had there a strange Contrivance for a strange suddain and barbarous Execution having a great Wheel in the bottom of the Prison so that the Prisoner being brought into a Room just over it not thinking what might happen perhaps as he sate at Dinner and not at all knowing of his Condemnation the Chamber like a Scene would on a suddain be opened into Two Parts and immediately the Condemned would fall into the under Engine and in a short time be torn to pieces and never be more heard of But this way of Proceeding and Punishment is now left off though still this State Inquisition is very severe and there is but small hopes of any one that is cast into it Here it was that I first saw the Dutch Army this Campaign about five or six days after the Battle The Battallions of Foot looked thin and grievously changed and Brussels was crowed up with Wounded Men The Horse indeed look'd as they were wont and pretty well gathered together as having a far better way of Self-preservation Here we Encamp'd above four Weeks till Prince Waldeck had sent off the shattered Regiments and had received new from the Frontier Garrisons with Cannon Boats Artillery and Waggons as was necessary The Country all about Brussels is exceeding Pleasant and Fruitful the City is large very thick Peopled and full of Coaches and all sorts of Gallantry a la mode of France and the French Language is spoken there by the meanest Tradesmen 'T is very Hilly which in these Countries is a great Rarity The Pallace and the Park stand on the highest Ground and seem to overlook the rest the Park is but little but sweet and beautiful besides Adorned with some of the finest Water-works in Europe There is also the Royal Armory which most Travellers that come into those Parts desire to see wherein are curious rarities and devices in Armour and Trophies and Banners and Standards of the Ancient Earls and Governors of Flanders and Kings of Spain When the Army was recruited and all necessaries made up and every thing put in order about the 23d of July we had orders to March and Encamp'd that day at a place called Overiisk where we of the English joyned the Dutch in order had our Post of Honour on the Right and made a very pretty addition to their Lines Here it was that one might well perceive a very good alteration in the face of our General He look'd sad discontented and pensive after the Battle and was heard to say That he wish'd he also had fallen among so many Brave Men as he had lost at Fleury but that he hop'd GOD had spared him for a greater Revenge so that nothing could have pleased him more at that time than to see his Army again look Vigorous and Strong and himself put into such a condition as to be able once more before the Summer was over to return Monsieur Luxenburgh his former kindness We stayed in this Camp but one Night we Decamped the next Morning and came to a Place a pretty Village called Wauvre where in a most delightful Valley about Three in the Afternoon we came to the Camp of his Electoral Highness the Duke of Brandenburgh and joyned our Armies His Forces consisted of about 5000 Horse and 13000 Foot and Thirty Pieces of Cannon all looking Brave well Cloathed and Warlike a finer Army not to be seen according to their number The Duke with his Dutchess and Two Brothers with the great Officers and Ladies of his Court were with the Army He is very short and crooked as to his Person he is about the Age of Thirty his Face indeed is fine and comely His Brothers Prince Charles and Prince Philip are both Tall and well Shap'd Gentlemen His Court was exceeding Splendid Besides his Guards he hath an hundred French Gentlemen Refugees all well Mounted and Clad in Scarlet with a broad Gold Lace on the Seams every one looking like a Captain They are called his Grand Musqueteers and always attend his Person He had also with him several Ministers of Forraign Princes amongst others was the Honourable Mr. Johnson Envoy from the Court of England Here it was that Prince Waldeck received a Letter from our King that he was Conqueror at the Boyne and was immediately going to Besiege Lymerick and hoped to be with us at the head of our Army in Twenty days upon which news the English Envoy made a most splendid Feast for the Duke and his Dutchess

reported is too much enclin'd to hearken to his General who is said to be now nigh Ninety years old and to be too much decay'd in his Abilities of Mind which were never very Famous therefore our General went but seldom to Council as loath to have a passionate positive Dotage to take place of his Oracles Besides the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands was loath to venture a second Battle and it could hardly be agreed about our Posts of Honour so that after we had staid here about three Weeks and had made the Country look like a Desart which we found almost like a Garden we Marched and came a little nigher the Enemy at a place called Wanbeck not far from hence is the most delightsome Palace and Garden of Enghien belonging to the Duke of Arescot a Place which Art and Nature have both contrived in a most Luxurious manner to make lovely wonderful and almost a Paradice from hence 't is said the French King took his Pattern for his prodigious Contrivances at Versaile Here we staid a considerable time I think above three Weeks and having Eaten up all the Forage that we could possibly get the Winter coming on and the Rains beginning to fall which continues usually this time of the Year almost a Month together The French as well as we thought 't was high time to break up which we did about the middle of October within a little while one of the other Thus our mighty Army which was enough to Fight almost all Europe for a day was broken up for this Season without any other Engagement than that of Wind Rain and bad Weather and we went to our Winter Quarters wet and weary And thus ended the Campaign And here now we may see the great difference that is betwixt an Army the Subjects of one King and under the Command of one Captain General and another which is compounded of several National Interests and under divers Princes which are not subordinate one to another for the one is still ready to Moove to Stand to Execute even at the very Nod and Sign of their Commander whilst the others are disputing about their Posts differing in their Councils and endeavouring to promote their own Interests and Affairs so hard is it to Order so many different Nations to promote one common Good and publick Design This is the only great advantage that the French have against us That Force must needs be very strong and vigorous which is so truly united And I hope the Confederate Princes from the mistakes of the Last will so order their Councils against the Next Campaign that with one Heart and firm Resolution we may Early and Briskly push the War upon the French or else I fear little Progress will be made against so Skilful Politick and well compacted an Enemy Indeed if the King of Great Britain had been able to come at that time that he designed to be with us when he Writ to his General out of Ireland and had Headed our Army we might have made the Enemy look about them for all Disputes would soon be composed by a Crowned Head and all the Generals would easily submit to be Led on by a Great Monarch And I doubt not but this will be our Honour and Happiness this Summer for we shall have an Army of Brittains this following Campaign in Flanders to the number of Twenty Thousand Horse and Foot which with the States Army and the Reputation we have always wone against the French will make a Force Formidable and Glorious and if we are Conducted by our own Warlike King we shall put Monsieur Luxenburgh to his last Shifts notwithstanding all his Skill in Magick or Conjuration And indeed this is the thing which the French King this long while mistrusted The Wisdom Skill and Courage of our KING when but Prince of Orange always gave him a secret Concern and he has bin heard to say as I have been credibly Informed That he more feared the Petit Baron of Breda as his Pride was pleased to Stile him than the Emperor or all the Confederate Princes besides Indeed to our great Scandal and Misfortune we have a sort of People here in England who are Mutinous and Abusive under any Government who are Brave and Daring at Play-Houses and Taverns but would rather see their Country turned into Ruines than honestly Fight for it against an Invading Enemy That rejoyce because Turks and Infidels are helpers of the French That value neither Liberty Religion or Laws nor Honour so their Pockets might be fill'd to satisfie their Lusts These are the Enemies of our Brave King and would pretend to sully the Actions of the best of Princes by their Impotent Railings but let them breath out their black Murmurings till Hemp will permit them to breath no longer 'T is impossible they should hurt his most Glorious Name which long ago has bin Famous over many Nations and Loved Honoured and Esteemed by the greatest Captains and Generals of the Age. He is every where known to have all those Vertues which tend to make a most Renowned Hero He is Just Sober Temperate Wise and Valiant He is such a Prince as a Philoscpher would delight to represent to the World for a Pattern and has not one Quality but what tends to the Greatness Prosperity Honour and Reputation of a Christian Nation He never saw Fear but in the face of an Enemy He has often stared Death in the Face even in its most terrible Postures and has grasp'd at his Laurels through streams of Blood It is not to us alone I mean to the English Nation to whom he hath done the greatest Good The States General the Spanish King the Duke of Brandenburgh with all the other German Princes nay the Emperor himself are all preserved by him and do declare it to the World by the most grateful Testimony that they really are so For if our late King had kept his Post till this time and carried on his Designs with the French King as he had contrived it nay though he had stood neuter or only a Spectator whiles the other should pour his Legions into the Spanish Netherlands we should soon see how like a Deluge they would run into the Provinces swallow up all before them and then what the Neighbouring Princes might expect is easie to be imagined our turn here in England would soon come after our Religion and Laws would first suffer a Convulsion and what might become at last of our Kingdoms in general is easie to be guessed when King James should have trusted him so far They are not only Protestants whom he hath obliged but many other Princes of the Roman Catholick Religion And His Excellency the Marquis d' Castanaga Governor of the Low-Countries when he had receiv'd the News of the King's Success in Ireland was heard to speak these Words with the greatest Affection viz. That he was perswaded King William was Born to be a Scourge to the French