the loss of only two or three hundred Men on our side The Enemies had betwixt four or five thousand kill'd and wounded and we took above three thousand Prisoners all their Baggage Provision Ammunition and sixteen Colours Immediately after the gaining of the Battle Siege of Palamos the Marshal de Noailles besieged Palamos a small Maritime Town but well fortified There was a Garrison of three thousand Men in the place which did defend themselves only five days after the Place began to be Batter'd by our Cannon both by Sea and Land For whilst the Marshal attack'd it by Land a French Squadron of Men of War batter'd it by Sea After we had made our selves Masters of the Counterscarp there were two Breaches in the Wall but so narrow that not above one Man could mount it at a time in Front Some Soldiers having taken notice of it shew'd it to their Officers who approving of their Design they mounted the Breach entred the City and taking advantage of the general Consternation this unexpected Sight of the Enemy upon the Ramparts had put them into they soon made themselves Masters of the City on the 7th of June The Fort or Castle being forced to Surrender at Discretion within three days after the Marshal without loosing time sat down before Gironne This Place was so considerable for its Strength that in the Year 1684 Gironne taken it obliged the French Army to raise the Siege But our late Victory near the River Ter the taking of Palamos the furious discharges of our Batteries and the vast number of our Bombs which did great Execution and set the Town on fire besides the little hopes there was of being relieved obliged the Inhabitants and Garrison to Capitulate in five days We made our selves Masters of several other places betwixt Gironne and Barcelona and all the Country round was seised with such a Consternation that their Capital City it self would scarce have been able to hold out a Week against our victorious Arms if the Heats had not been so excessive as to prevent us from undertaking the Siege and the Confederate Fleet was so seasonably to their Assistance and had supply'd them both with Ammunition and Men. This was the only Fruit they reap'd from the Equipment of so numerous a Fleet it being fear'd otherwise that the Spaniards might have concluded a separate Peace with us if they had not come to their Relief It was also supposed that at the Sollicitations of the Duke of Savoy this Fleet was to endeavour the regaining of Villa Franca It was composed of one hundred and thirty Sail among which were threescore and fifteen for the Line of Battle It was given out that they were to Retake Nice to Bombard Thoulon and to lay Marseilles in Ashes There were also some who pretended that they were to chastise Genove for refusing to join with the Confederacy But all these Projects vanished into Smoak they being disenabled for want of Provisions and by the many Distempers that reigned among the Seamen to undertake any thing of moment they kept the Sea for some time after till the approaching Winter Season forced them to seek for a safe Retreat in the Spanish Ports Their Fleet in the Ocean made more Noise but did not much more Damage Descent in Camaret Bay They made an attempe upon Camaret-Bay at the neck of a Land which juts into the Sea near Forest Of eight or nine hundred Men who Landed by the help of their Chaloops betwixt three and four hundred were killed the rest made Prisoners The rest of their Forces that were to second the Attack being deterr'd by the ill Success of their Comrades and the continual Fire from our Entrenchments upon the Sea-shoar did not judge it advisable to attempt any further Descent but under the Protection of some of their Frigats return'd to their Ships On the 22th day of July Diepe Bombarded they Bombarded Diepe which was laid in Ashes most of the Houses of this City being of Wood and closely built the Inhabitants fled from their Habitations with their best Moveables the Fire consumed the whole City there being no body to stop its Fury But the Enemies were great Gainers by this Bargain it having been computed that this Expedition cost them more than the re-building of the whole City could amount to On the 20th of July they appear'd before Havre de Grace which they likewise Bombarded for some time as well as Calais but without doing any considerable Damage the Fire having been soon extinguished by the Care of the Inhabitants This done they made an attempt upon the Forts which guard the Entrance of the Port of Dunkirk two Engines not unlike to that they had made use of at St. Malo's advanced towards the said Forts with an Intention to blow them up but by the help of the Cannon mounted upon several Batteries along the Sea-shoar these two Vessels were blown up into the Air at about a thousand yards distance from the Mole The little Success of this Campaign on the Confederates side Campaign 1695. did in some measure abate the Heat of the English and Dutch who for these seven years last past had bore the greatest Share in the vast Expences of the War In Holland the common People cry'd out aloud for Peace in London tho' they did not do it so publickly yet they were very desirous of it The Parliament took an Account of the Supplies granted for the use of the War and what Share each of the Allies ought to have in the Expences pursuant to the Treaty's concluded for that purpose They excluded the Speaker of the House of Commons from their House and imprison'd several of their Members They also Summon'd the Earl of Danby Duke of Leeds President of the Privy Council but these Proceedings ceased with the Session of Parliament There were some who look'd upon this Affront put upon one of the Prince of Orange's Favourites K. William III. as a Spark of Fire which being couch'd for some time under the Ashes might in time break out into a Flame And their Conjectures seem'd not ill grounded considering that since the Death of the Princess of Orange Queen Mary eldest Daughter to the King of England who died on the 18th of December in the Year 1694. Queen of Englands Death King James's Party began to appear more formidable than before and that the Differences betwixt the Court and the Princess of Denmark only Sister of the deceased Princess Q. Mary might furnish them with an opportunity to Foment the intestine Divisions in that Kingdom or that perhaps some of the Confederates discouraged by the change of Affairs in England might not prosecute the War with the same Vigour as before But it was not long before these Hopes were frustrated in the end For the Prince K. William III. either by his good Fortune or Conduct prevented all these Dangers there being not the least appearance of any Commotion On the
disown the Affront put upon the French Ambassador at Rome and to give Satisfaction for the same p. 45 Cheo p. 171 Choiseul Claudius Count de Marshal of France p. 280 Christine Queen of Sweden comes into France to see the King p. 10 11 Circles of Germany declar against the King p. 207 Clergy The Assembly of the French Clergy in the Year 1682. p. 184 Constine Armond du Cambout Duke de Peer of France wounded at che Passage of the Rhine p. 91 Colbert John Baptist Minister and Secretary of State his Character p. 28 29 Colbert Charles Marquis de Croissi French Plenipotentiary at Nimhegen p. 166 Cologne Affairs of Cologne p. 199 Compte French Compte Conquer'd p. 68 Restored p. ib. Conquer'd a second time p. 114 Conde Lewis of Bourbou II. Prince of his Victories and Character p. 5 Commands the French Army in Holland p. 86 Beats the Allies near Senef p. 117 Forces them to raise the Siege of Hagenau p. 132 Conde Henry Julius Prince of besieges and takes Limburgh p. 128 Coni the Siege raised p. 230 Conti Lewis Francis Prince of signalizes himself at Steenkirk and Neerwinden p. 239 248 Is Elected King of Poland p. 299 Corsairs of Africa chastised p. 171 Crequy Duke of is insulted at Rome by the Pope's Guards p. 39 40 Crequy Francis de Marshal of France Commands a flying Body p. 65 Defeats Marlin p. 66 Is routed by the Dukes of Zell and Lorrain p. 133 Forces Prince Charles of Lorrain to repass the Rhine p. 151 Takes Friburgh p. ibid. D. Darmstadt Landgrave of signalizes himself in the defence of Barcelona p. 301 Dauphin Lewis Dauphin of France only Son to LEWIS the Great His Birth and Education p. 170 171 Besieges and takes Philipsburgh p. 203 Commands in Germany p 224 Commands in Flanders p. 255 Prevents the Enemy from forcing the French Lines p. 256 Dauphin Invasion of the Allies of that Province p. 241 Deinse opens its Gate p. 270 Denmark delares against France p. 111 Conquers many places from the Swedes p. 159 Obliged to restore them p. 166 Makes a defensive League with Holland p. 288 Descent made by the English in Cameret-Bay p. 261 By the Dutch in a small Island p. 122 Diepe see Bombardment Diet of Ratisbonne p. 175 176 Differences betwixt France and Spain about the Precedency p. 33 Betwixt the Duke of Crequy and the Nephews of Alexander VII p. 41 Betwixt two Religious Orders about the Doctrine of Grace p. 70 Betwixt the Empire and France concerning the Limits p. 175 176 Betwixt France and Spain about the Limits in Flanders p. 178 About the Succession in the Palatinate p. 194 About the Franchises of the Ambassador's Quarters at Rome p. 196 Dinant taken by the Marshal de Crequy p. 128 Dixmuyden surrendred p. 178 56 Doesburgh surrendred p. 92 Dole besieged and taken by the King p. 97 Doway taken after a Siege of two days p. 116 Duells severely chastised p. 65 Dunkirk taken p. 13 Delivered up to the English p. 47 48 Bought by the King p. ibid. Bombarded see Bombardment Duquesne Lieutenant General of the King 's Marine Forces his Off-spring p. 137 Defeats Admiral Ruiter ib. Burns eight Tripolin Vessels in the Port of Chio. p. 171 E. Edicts of Nantes and Nismes p. 190 191 Emperour see Leopold Electors of the Empire declare unanimously against France p. 207 England subject to great Revolutions p. 210 Entrance of the King and Queen in Paris p. 20 Estrades Count d' afterwards Marshal of France his Difference with the Spanish Ambassadour Batteville in London p. 33 Plenipotentiary and French Ambassadour at Nimhegen p. 166 Estrees Francis Hannibal II. Duke d' Peer of France Ambassadour at Rome the Pope does not abolish the Franchises of Quarters till after his Death p. 196 Estree John Count d' Marshal and Vice-Admiral of France p. 171 Estree Caesar Cardinal d' sent to Rome to endeavour an Accommodation with Pope Innocent XI p. 184 F. Fariau defends Mastrick p. 103 Fenelon Francis de Polignac Fenelon Preceptor of the Children of France p. 285 Fleets see Sea-Fights Formular against the five Propositions of Jansenius subscribed p. 77 Fortifications above 220 are Erected by the King's Order since 1660. p. 168 France its Pre-eminency p. 30 31 Its Fertitility p. 253 254 Franchises of the Ambassadour's Quarters abolished by Innocent XI p. 196 Frankendahl taken p. 204 Friburgh taken p. 151 Granted to the King by the Peace of Nimhegen p. 160 Fuente Marquis of Spanish Ambassadour declares that the Ministers of Spain shall not dispute about the Precedency with those of France p. 37 38 Furnes taken p. 244 Furstenbergh William Eugene is seised at Cologne and carried to Viena p. 112 Chosen Co-adjutor of Cologne Innocent XI refuses to confirm it p. 201 202 G. Gap abandoned p. 242 Genneses disoblige the King p. 172 Genoa bombarded see Bombardment They send their Doge with four Senators to make their Submission to the King p 173 Ghnet besiged and taken by the King p. 154 156 Gigery taken abandoned p. 56 Guesne Archbishop of Primate of Poland calls together a Diet for the Election of a King of Poland p. ib. Proclaims the Prince of Conty King of Poland p. 299 Grave besieged and surrendred to the Prince of Orange p. 120 121 122 Gray taken p. 114 Gregory VII the first who pretended to depose an Emperour p. 186 Groll a strong Place taken p. 93 Guillestre in Dauphine p. 242 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden p. 10 H. Hageneu besieged by Count Montecuculi raises the Siege p. 132 Harlay Nicolas Augustus de Count of Celi French Plenipotentiary at the Conferences of Frankfurt p. 175 And at the General Peace p. 291 Haw Don Lewis de Premier Minister of Spain p. 18 Havre de Grace see Bombardment Heidelbergh the Capital of the Palatinate taken by the Marshal de Lorge p. 246 Hesse Landgrave of raises the Siege of Eberenburgh p. 243 Holland the Commonwealth of its Origin Progress Reputation Varity p. 82 83 Loses above forty Places in one Campaign p. 84 Hollanders assisted by the King against the Bishop of Munster and the King of England p. 58 59 The Chief Promoters of all the Alliances against France see Leagues Humiers Marshal d' takes Aire p. 135 Is repulsed at Walecourt p. 214 Huy taken by the French p. 128 Retaken by the Allies p. 258 I. JAMES II. King of England retires into France p. 211 212 Passes over into Ireland p. 214 Returns to France after the Battle of the Boyne p. 225 Goes to the Sea-side in hopes of making a Descent in England p. 231 Jansenisme its Origin Progress and Condemnation p. 70 71 72 Janson Toussain Cardinal d' Bishop of Beauvais p. 294 Imperial Cardinal Governour of Rome comes into France to justifie himself p. 45 46 Innocent XI the Pope his Character writes three Briefs to the King about the Regale p. 182 Annuls the Acts of the Assembly of the French Clergy p. 185 Refuses his Bulls to the
Bishops of that Assembly p. 187 Is made Arbitrator by the King of the Succession in the Palatinate p. 195 Abolishes the Franchises of Quarters p. 190 Gives his Dispensation to Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 201 Interview of the French and Spanish Court p. 18 Invalides the Royal Hospital built near Paris p. 169 Ipres taken by the King p. 156 Ireland the King sends Succours into that Kingdom p. 214 L'Isle besieged by and surrendred to the King p. 66 K. Kayserswert taken by the Elector of Brandenburgh p. 215 Knock Fort the Allies lose above two thousand Men before it p. 269 L. Ladeburgh the Imperialists defeated by Tuâ—rene near this Place p. 124 Lagos about eighty Vessels were taken and burnt betwixt this place and Cadiz p. 245 246 Lavardin Marquiss of French Ambassadour at Rome p. 197 The Pope refuses him Audience p. 198 League against France betwixt the Emperour Spain and Denmark Holland and all the Princes of Germany except the Dukes of Bavaria and Hannover p. 107 111 League betwixt England and Holland against France p. 153 League of Ausburgh p. 193 League betwixt the Empire Spain England Holland and Savoy against France p. 207 p. 209 Leopold Ignatius Emperour of Germany desires Succours from the King p. 57 Enters in a League against France p. 107 Makes Peace with France p. 165 Makes a Truce with the King p. 177 Enters in another Alliance against him p. 193 Declares for the Election of Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 200 Makes Peace with France p. 308 Leuze Engagement near Leuze 229 Lewis XIII seises Lorrain p. 80 His War with the Hugonots p. 188 Lewis XIV sirnamed the Great his Birth p. 1 Troubles under his Minority p. 2 Is present at the Battle of St. Anthony p. 5 Falls dangerously ill at Calais p. 13 Marries the Infanta of Portugal p. 17 Enters Paris in Triumph p. 20 Lewis the Great his Divertisements p. 25 Obliges Spain to allow him the Precedency p. 37 Receives Satisfaction for the Affront put upon his Ambassadour at the Court of Rome p. 45 Causes a new Codex or Lambock to be compiled p. 52 Restores the decayed Commerce p. 56 Sends Succours to the Emperour p. 57 And to the Dutch p. 58 Lewis the Great besieges and takes Listle p. 66 Conquers the French Comte in eight days p. 68 Suppresles Jansinism p. 69 Builds Versailles p. 77 And takes Possession of Lorrain p. 81 LEWIS the Great declares War against Holland p. 85 His first Conquests p. 87 seq New Conquests p. 92 Draws the King of England from his Alliance with the Dutch p. 95 Besieges and takes Mastrick p. 103 seq Besieges and takes Besanson p. 114 Makes himself Master of the whole French Comte in one Months time p. 117 LEWIS the Great takes Conde p. 134 Sends Succours to Messina p. 136 Takes Valenciennes p. 142 The Town and Cittadel of Cambray p. 148 Ghent p. 156 Ipres p. ibid. Restores Peace to Europe p. 162 Erects the Academies for the Cadees p. 168 Builds the Hospital of the Invalides p. 169 Founds the Community of St. Cyr. p. ib. LEWIS the Great Chastises the Corsairs of Barbary p. 171 172 Genoeses p. ibid. Summons all his Vassals in Alsace to do him Homage p. 174 Goes to Strasburgh to receive in Person the Oath of Fidelity p. 175 Makes a Truce with the Emperour for twenty years p. 177 LEWIS the Great obliges the King of Spain to resign the Title of Duke of Burgundy p. 177 Causes Luxenburgh to be block'd up p. 178 Covers the Siege of Luxenburgh p. 179 Makes a Truce with Spain for twenty Years p. 180 Differences betwixt him and the Court of Rome p. ibid. He suppresses Calvinism in France p. 187 The whole Kingdom makes Vows for his Recovery p. 192 The Motives that obliged him to have recourse to Arms. p. 202 Takes Philipsburgh and the whole Palatinate p. 203 204 LEWIS the Great receives the King and Queen of England with an unparallell'd Generosity p. 213 Sends Succours into Ireland p. ib. Besieges and takes Mons. p. 228 The City and Cittadel of Namur p. 233 Being troubled with the Gout is carried in a Chair to all Places where his Presence was most necessary p. 236 The Prince of Conty Elected King of Poland by his Encouragement and Protection p. 299 Restores Peace to Europe p. 307 Limburgh taken by Henry Julius Prince of Conde p. 128 Limerick in Ireland bravely defended by the French p. 225 The English obliged to raise the Siege ibid. Limits see Differences Lines what they are p. 249 New Lines drawn from the Shelde to the Lis and from Courtray to the Sea-side p. 268 Longueville Duke of kill'd p. 98 Longe Alphonse de Durasford Duke de Lorges Marshal of France makes good his Retreat against the Imperialists after the Death of Turenne p. 132 Takes Heidelbergh p. 246 Louvois see Tellier Luxenburgh block'd up p. 178 Besieged p. 179 Taken p. ib. Luxenburgh Francis Henry de Montmorancy Duke de Pency Luxenburgh Peer and Marshal of France takes Groll Deventer and all the Places in the Province of Over-Yssle p. 93 Obliges the Prince of Orange to raise the Siege of Voerden p. 97 Repulses the Dutch at St. Denis p. 163 Beats the Allies at Flerus p. 219 Leuze p. 229 Steenkirk p. 239 At Neerwinden p. 248 His Death p. 270 M. Machin or Engine made use of by the English against St. Malo p. 252 Maine Lewis Augustus Duke de Maine Commands the French Cavalry at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 Signalizes himself at Neerwinden p. 248 St. Malo see Bombardment Manheim a strong Place in the Palatinate p. 204 Marcin Count de Marcin General of the Spanish Forces marches to the Relief of L' Isle p. 66 Is Routed p. ibid. Mardick a Fort. p. 13 Maria Theresia Queen of France see Austria Maria Adelhida Dutches of Burgundy see Savoy Marsal granted to the King p. 80 Mastrick besieged by the King p. 103 Taken p. 106 Besieged by the Prince of Orange p. 135 Mayence besieged p. 215 Taken p. 217 Mazarine Julius Cardinal Premier Minister under the Regency of the Queen Mother p. 2 His Conference with Don Lewis de Haro p. 18 His Death p. 22 Mehaigne a small River near Namur p. 235 Messina shakes off the Spanish Yoke p. 136 Metz Chamber of Re-union established at Metz. p. 174 Mirc-Court the ordinary Place of Residence of Charles IV. Duke of Lorrain p. 81 Missionaries preach among the Calvinists p. 189 Mons besieged and taken by the King p. 228 Montausier Charles Duke of Peer of France Governour to Lewis Dauphine p. 170 Montmelian taken p. 231 Montecuculi Count of his Character p. 129 Munster Bernhard-van Galen Bishop of invades Holland p. 58 Joyns his Troops with the French in the Dutch War p. 93 Declares against France p. 111 N. Namur besieged by the King and taken p. 233. Besieged by the Allies p. 271 Nancy fortified by the King p. 107 Naerden a small Place in Holland
the King's Houshold threw themselves into the River with an unparallell'd Resolution relying more upon their own Courage than the use of their Arms. The Rhine tho of a considerable breadth in this place yet runs with a Current so swift and violent as if it were forced through a very streight Channel Besides this it having blown a Storm the Night before the high Winds tossed dreadful Waves against the Shore which well might have terrified the Soldiers from attempting the Passage at that time but being by their King's Presence inspired with a Courage to despise all Danger neither the swiftness of the Current nor the dreadful appearance of the high Waves nor the sight of their Enemies who lay entrench'd on the other side ready to receive them nothing of all this could daunt their Courage or stop their Progress there were but a few lost in this Passage who being carried away from the rest by the violence of the Stream were swallowed up by the Waves or perished in the Whirlpools As they began to approach the other side of the Shoar they were vigorously attack'd by three Squadrons of the Enemy who being entred the River killed and wounded some of our Men but finding our Troops to advance without being daunted they after their first Charge retreated and betook themselves to their Heels Then it was that the French Horse encouraging one another by their joyful Acclamations reach'd the Bank of the River and tho they were all dropping wet pursued the Flying Enemy for above a League At the same time the Prince of Conde attack'd some Dutch Battallions that lay entrench'd at the Entrance of a Wood they were so terrified at the very sight of the French that in lieu of making good the Pass they threw down their Arms. The Prince promised them Quarter severely forbidding any Body to attack them but his Nephew the Duke of Longueville being ignorant of it committed an act of imprudence in firing one of his Pistols just near their Entrenchments which cost him his Life for the Enemy believing that they were advancing to cut them to pieces betook themselves again to their Arms and at their first Discharge killed the Duke with five more Persons of Quality and wounded a considerable number amongst whom was Armand du Cambout Duke of Cosselin a Peer of France and the Prince of Conde who was drawn thither by the noise and discharging of the Fire Arms was wounded by a Pistol-shot in his Wrist The French being exasperated at the loss of their Officers and Comerades cut most of the Enemy in pieces except some who saved themselves by flight The King in the mean while saw the other Regiments of Horse pass the River one after another Squadron by Squadron with less danger than before the great number of Horse that swam close together breaking in a great measure the violence of the Waves and swiftness of the Current The next Day following the Bridge being got ready all the Infantry pass over it with the whole Train of Artillery It is not to be express'd what a noise this Action so bravely undertaken and so prudently manag'd did make in the World the Prince of Orange for fear of being surprised thought it his best way to quit his Intrenchments and by long Marches retreated deeper into the Country The generality of the People being fill'd with Consternation put all the hopes of their Safety in the Mercy of their Conqueror which they endeavoured to purchase from his Hands by striving as it may be said who should be the first that should put themselves under his Protection The Soldiers got an incredible Booty wallowing for two Months together in Plenty and Riches Doesburg and Arnheim did not hold out above four and twenty Hours after opening of the Trenches The Fort of Skink Shencken Skans so famous both for its Strength and Situation and the long and vigorous Attacks it has so bravely sustained at other times surrendred before the opening of the Trenches The Forts of Woeren and St. Andrew did the same The City of Utrecht tho secured by several Places of good Strength sent the Keys of their Gates to the Victorious Enemy at a good distance All Places in the Betaw followed their Example and there were very few Cities upon the Rhine the Meuse the Wahle and Yssel but what readily opened their Gates and received Safeguards In the Province of Holland the Cities of Oudewater Voerden and Narden were also taken by the King's Forces and Amsterdam it self that proud and potent City was upon the point of Capitulating and notwithstanding all the brave Efforts of some of the Magistrates would have been forced to submit to the King's Conquering Arms if the Officer who commanded in our most advanced Quarters had not been careless in intrenching himself immediately in a small place called Muyden from whence we might have batter'd all their Ships going to Amsterdam a fatal Neglect which preserved the whole Province from falling into our hands Empires as well as other things have their certain Periods and Critical Minutes which if known and dexterously managed prove commonly fatal to them In the mean time Francis Henry de Montmorency Duke of Luxemburgh having with a considerable Body of Troops and many experienced Officers joined the Forces of the Bishop of Munster and of the Archbishop of Cologne who being dissatisfied with the Hollanders were re-entred into a League with the King against them had Conquered a third Province The Duke after having put Safeguards into seven or eight small places Besieged in conjunction with the Bishop of Munster the City of Groll This strong place having surrendred without making any resistance the Archbishop's Forces being joined with the rest they Besieged the City of Deventer which being soon forced to come to a Capitulation those of Zwoll and Campen and generally all the other Places of the Province of Overyssel followed their Example To make due reflection upon these surprising Events they appear so extraordinary and prodigious as to be almost past belief for it is scarce possible to imagin that so many brave Cities which hitherto had past for impregnable should without making any Defence have surrender'd at discretion especially if it be consider'd that most of them being provided with good Garrisons and that in a Country which for a considerable time had been accounted the School of War in Europe scarce any of their strong holds to have defended themselves above four and twenty hours except Zutphen and Nimeguen the first of which held out four and the last nine days But when People after the Fatigues of a tedious War enjoy the fruits of a glorious Peace they begin to abandon themselves to their pleasures which renders them careless of their own security and of improving Martial Discipline one of the Pillars of the State A Nation being thus inveigled and dazled with their present good Fortune are soon brought into confusion at the least mischance The Hollanders being reduced to
this extremity and seeing themselves in most imminent danger of becoming an absolute Prey to the K's Conquering Arms judg'd it most conducible to their present condition to sue for Peace for which reason the States deputed some to the King to know upon what terms he would be pleas'd to grant it and at the same time sent to Charles II. then King of England to be informed concerning his Pretensions against them For it is to be observed that it was not the French King alone who was offended at the Hollanders they had given great causes of complaint to the King of England by their Insolence both to him and his Subjects by troubling their Commerce and especially by fomenting divisions betwixt that Prince and his People which ever since the Peace concluded at Breda they had look'd upon as the main pont of their own security Our King being not ignorant in the Art of improving so favourable a juncture and how to represent the injuries receiv'd by the Dutch to King Charles II. it made so lively an impression upon that Monarch that he quitted the Triple-Alliance and declar'd open War to the Hollanders Having equipp'd a Gallant Fleet the same was joyn'd by the French in the Channel and the Dutch threatned with a most powerful Invasion by Sea but the Enemies had secured themselves so well at Sea and had provided a Fleet so numerous and well mann'd that when the Fleets of both Crowns engaged them on the 7th of June they could after a most bloody and obstinate Fight boast of no other advantage than to have chased them towards their own Coasts and made them retire to their own Ports The Propositions of Peace made by the two Kings were look'd upon by the Dutch as so extravagant and intolerable that they resolved rather to bury themselves in their own Ruins than to purchase the Peace at such a Rate Being therefore reduced to that Extremity as to be forced to take such Measures as were most suitable to their present desperate Condition they had recourse to their Sluces and Dikes which they opened and pierced through in many places and put the Country under Water to serve them as a Barricado against their Enemies who were upon the Point of snatching from them their so much admir'd Liberty The Remedy appear'd so dangerous in the Eyes of all the World that the most considered it to be of worse consequence than the Evil they feared but nevertheless it proved the real cause of their Safety For our King finding all his Measures broken by this insurmountable Obstacle left Holland leaving the Duke of Luxemburgh to Command in his Absence with Orders to take the opportunity of the approaching Winter to push on his Conquests with all the vigour imaginable under the favour of the Frosts and Ice At his Return into France the People charmed with his Presence after so Glorious a Campaign received him in Triumph and accompanied him through all places where-ever he pass'd with all the joyful Acclamations and Vows due to a Conqueror The Dutch Troops having taken new Courage after the King's Departure Besieged Voerden under the Command of the Prince of Orange with fourteen Thousand Men. All the Country round about it lay under Water there being only one Passage left to approach it which was a Dike on the side of Utrecht To cut off from the Town all Communication and hopes of Succours the Prince had caused two Forts to be erected on each side of the Dike and betwixt both a Battery strengthened with a good Intrenchment But all these Fortifications were not strong enough to frighten the Duke of Luxemburgh who after the Siege had lasted two Months advancing early in the Morning attack'd them in the Front but being repulsed there he was so far from giving over his Design that having caused the Depth of the Waters to be sounded and finding them not above four Foot deep in a certain place which he judged convenient for the Attack he led his Men with a marvellous Resolution through the Waters and taking them in Flank made himself Master of one of their Quarters on that side from whence assaulting the Forts he took them not without a great Slaughter on the Enemies side who being obliged to raise the Siege the Duke provided the place with a sufficient Garrison and marched back again to Utrecht with a considerable Booty and a good number of Prisoners of War The Prince of Orange raises the Siege of Voerden The bravest and most couragious Action that ever was undertaken especsally if it be considered that the Duke had not above three Thousand Men with him by reason that he was not joyn'd by some Troops which he expected to have met him in his March according to Orders and because that the French Troops were not very numerous at that time thereabouts the Viscount of Turenne having lately been reinforced from thence with a good Body of the best Regiments to observe the Motions of the Elector of Brandenburgh The more all the Neighbouring Princes were surprized at the stupendious progress of the King's Arms War with the Elector of Brandenburgh the more they judged it for their Interests to put a stop to his Conquests It is not to be imagined that it was so much out of Compassion or the Consideration of the deplorable Condition to which this so flourishing and potent Commonwealth had been reduced within the space of two Months that made them take these Measures to prevent its ruine by their assistance but their own Fears and Jealousies which represented to them Europe in Chains and as a Vassal of France if the King should Conquer the United Provinces what Wonder then if all were ready to lend a helping hand to preserve that from whence depended in a great measure their own Safeties whilst some therefore endeavoured to obtain their aim by secret Intrigues others presented themselves with their Swords in Hand The Elector of Brandenburgh was the first who shew'd himself most concern'd for the Preservation of the Dutch whether it was that their Money had had more influence over him than the rest and made him more Zealous for their Interest or whether it were that he was dissatisfied at our King for not restoring to him some Places which belonged to him and were taken by our Troops from the Dutch I will not pretend to determine It is unquestionable that he was a Prince very aspiring and ambitious one of the bravest Men living and of great Experience in Martial Affairs who maintain'd at that time an Army of twenty five Thousand Men who wanted to be employed some where or other Add to this the Sollicitations of his Nephew the Prince of Orange who earnestly intreated him to employ his Forces for the Relief of Holland which might serve as the most effectual means in the World to establish his Reputation among them So sure it is that all the Ties of Consanguinity are weak if not strengthned and link'd
thousand Men which he ordered to march towards the Rhine At their approach the Viscount of Turenne who was General of the King's Army on that side met them as far as in Franconia in hopes to draw them to a Battle but they being careful in avoiding an Engagement the Viscount could not prevent them from passing the Rhine in conjunction with the Prince of Orange and besieging Bonn. This place was without a Ditch its Fortifications being not quite brought to perfection notwithstanding which the French Governor with his Garrison consisting only of fifteen hundred Men defended himself so valiantly against so powerful an Army composed of three several Nations that they did not become Masters of it till after a fourteen Nights Siege As the Conquest of this City as well as that of Naerden Siege of Bonn. a small but well Fortified Place in Holland taken from us in the foregoing Month of September by the Prince of Orange seem'd to be the happy Fore-runners of the good success of this Alliance so the Emperor and Spain flatter'd themselves with the hopes of all those Advantages which the Dutch Ministers had put them in hopes of when they enter'd into the League The Emperor enter'd into the Alliance not only upon that score as having in view thereby to put a stop to the greatness of France which if it should over-run Holland and the Low-Countries would like an impetuous Torrent spread all over Germany but as looking upon this as a favourable juncture to encrease his Authority in the Empire It is very well known that for a considerable time past it has been the main design of the House of Austria to make themselves absolute in Germany by reducing these Princes under their Obedience This seem'd to be the most Critical juncture that could be to put this so long projected design in execution the Kings Conquests in Holland and his taking the City of Treves were the most plausible pretences in the World to bring a good Army into Germany without giving any suspicion to these Princes whom they hop'd to ruin one after another by drawing them into the Quarrel under the glorious pretext of taking up Arms for the defence of the Empire As for what concern'd the Spaniards they were cajol'd into a League by the fair promises of the Dutch who offer'd no less than the Restitution of Maestrick after it should be retaken and engaged themselves not to make either Peace or Truce with us before the French King should have surrender'd to them all what he had taken from them since the Pyrenean Peace A meer Tinsey wherewith to dazzle the Eyes of the Spaniards their intention being to keep no further to their promises than they should find it suitable to their own Interest as it sufficiently appear'd at the Treaty of Nimeguen when they oblig'd the Spaniards to accept of the same Propositions as they were projected by our King The Alliance of so many powerful Princes seem'd to foretel something extraordinary against France but thinking themselves not in a condition to undertake any thing of moment unless strengthen'd by the Power of England they left no stone unturn'd all that Winter to bring that King over to their side But all their great offers and fair promises would have proved fruitless upon this King who stood immoveable in his Resolution of adhering to our Interest if at last some of the Parliament Men who being perhaps overcome with the charms of the Dutch Gold Peace betwixt England and Holland had not pressed so hard upon that King that being no longer able to resist their importunities he made Peace with the Hollanders without declaring against France Our King was no considerable loser by the conclusion of this Peace his chiefest loss consisting in the recalling of a few English Troops for what had been concerted betwixt these two Kings about a Descent to be made upon the Dutch Coast had been found impracticable they having been sufficiently convinced by Experience that nothing of great moment ought to be expected from Sea Engagements as to the decision of the Fate of a War witness those three several Sea fights betwixt the Fleets of the two Kings and that of the Dutch in all which the ballance appear'd so little different that it was no easie matter to determine which of them ought with Justice carry away the Honour of the Victory there having been scarce any other advantage obtained on either side but to make a great noise without doing any considerable hurt Thus the Hollanders imagined that being now Masters at Sea they could not want an opportunity of ravaging our Coasts and to make themselves Masters of some places in France but they have been sufficiently convinc'd by their ill Success that unless an Enemy be assured of a good Port it is a very difficult task to make a Descent and cannot be undertaken without vast Charges which scarce ever quit cost However the Peace betwixt England and Holland appear'd to be the Signal to all the other Princes of Germany who now began to throw off the mask one after another and declar'd against us except the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Hanover who continued stedfast in their Neutrality For the Electors of Saxony Mayence of Treves and the Elector Palatin Germany and Denmark enters into a League as well as the Landtgraves of Hesse and Princes of Baden with most of the Circles of Germany did immediately take up Arms in favour of the Alliance The Elector of Cologne and Bishop of Munster left our Party to embrace that of the Allies and tho' the King of Denmark the Dukes of Brunswick and the Elector of Brandenburgh did not immediately declare against France yet did they engage in the Alliance from that time and promised to put themselves in a posture of assisting and promoting the common cause Now it was that the Hollanders had all the reason in the World to rejoyce at their good Success seeing they had by their good Management transferred the Burthen of the War from their own into their Neighbours Countries the King surrounded on all sides by his Enemies which the Dutch had raised against him having been obliged to abandon all his Conquests in the United Provinces except Grave and Mastricht which served to bridle them to make use of these Garrisons against the numerous Armies of the Allies Notwithstanding all these Advantages the States desired nothing so much as Peace considering that having now recovered what they had lost it would be very hard for them to maintain at their own Charge a War where now they had no further Interest but what they had in common with their Allies After a whole Twelve Months Debate about a Peace all Parties concern'd having at last accepted the Mediation of the King of Sweden sent their Plenipotentiaries to Cologne the place appointed for the carrying on of the Treaty The Conferences were frequently interrupted by several Accidents and new Difficulties which
the Dutch would in all likelihood have been forced to quit the Enterprise if the Governour the Marquiss of Chamilly had not received Orders from our King to Capitulate who after he had given a thousand Proofs of his Conduct and Courage surrendred upon such Conditions as he himself thought fit to propose the Prince of Orange being willing enough to grant him any thing partly in consideration of his Bravery partly for fear lest the Siege by the obstinate Defence of the Besieged should protract till Winter when the Season would oblige them to raise it The Garrison was extreamly diminished not so much by the Enemies Swords as by Sickness and tho' they were streightned for Provisions yet were they resolved to have endured all the extremities and bury themselves under the Ruins of the Place if the King who would not suffer that so many brave Men should Sacrifice themselves for the defence of a Place which he judged of no great consequence to his Affairs had not sent them his Orders to Capitulate The King had at the beginning of the War made himself Master of this Place without the loss of one single Man but the Dutch did not take it till after a Siege of three Months with a prodigious Charge and the loss of twelve thousand Men besides they run no small hazard of coming off with disgrace But they were less successful in their Expedition at Sea this Year they had near an hundred and fifty Men of War and after the Peace with England were become absolute Masters of the Ocean the King having sent most of his great Ships into the Mediterranean One part of this great Fleet was sent to endeavour the Conquest of the French Plantations in the West-Indies the rest were to be employed in making a Descent upon our Coast but the best concerted measures prove not always infallible For Admiral Ruiter did not succeed in his Enterprise against the Isle of Martinico and Admiral Trump who for four or five Months threatned our Coasts with a desent did no other feats but to Land in a small Island from whence he carried away some Cattel and plunder'd a certain Abby The ill success of the Allies in this Campaign seem'd to be very ill presages to the League especially if it be taken into consideration that the King's Arms were Crown'd with the same success in several other places for Frederick Duke of Schomberg had beaten the Spaniards in the Plains of Russilion as the Vicount of Turenne had been Victorious over the Germans in three or four several Encounters For after he had prevented the Duke of Lorrain from passing the Rhine and consequently secur'd the King's Conquests on that side he receiv'd Orders to hinder if possible the conjunction of the Duke with a Body of Imperialists commanded by the Imperial General the Count of Caprara Pursuant to these Orders he marched three Days and Nights without intermission and on the fourth came within sight of the Enemy whom he found so advantageously posted that it seem'd impossible to attack them without the greatest hazard in the World For they were drawn up in order of Battle upon a rising Ground being secured in the Front by a small Town with a deep Rivulet and many Hedges and Ditches all which must be pass'd before they could be attack'd But what is so strong or inaccessible to a Man who has an equal share of Conduct and Courage To be short the Town was taken in less than two Hours and the Enemies Infantry which defended it either cut in pieces or taken Prisoners But this was only the Introduction to the rest our Troops were extreamly fatigued with so long a March and the heat of the Season besides that the Enemy having the advantage of the Wind they were incommoded with the Smoak and Dust which almost choak'd them as they advanc'd towards the Enemy where the Enemy stood ready to receive them Notwithstanding all these disadvantages they were resolute in attacking them the Viscount of Turenne's Army consisted of nine or ten thousand Men and that of the Duke of Loerain was near equal in number to his with this difference only that the last had more Horse the other exceeded in Foot The first attack was made with equal bravery on both sides there being not a Squadron but what charged four or five times and the Dukes Forces rallied and return'd to their charge seven or eight times neither were they put to the rout till after a bloody and obstinate Fight of eight Hours About three Weeks after the Prince of Bourneville General of the Imperial Forces being with a Body of seven or eight thousand Men joyn'd to the broken remainders of the Confederate Army July 6th The Viscount of Turenne passed the River Neckar at Ladenburgh in sight of them and followed them so closely that he fell in with their Rear which he put to the rout forcing their Infantry to seek for shelter among the neighbouring Woods and Mountains but their Horse being briskly pursued by the French did not face about till they came to Franckfort twenty Leagues from thence where being cover'd by the River Maine the Viscount could not pursue them any further but they were scatter'd to that degree that they were not in a condition to appear again in the Field till being reinforced with fresh Supplies and Troops from the Emperor from the Elector Palatin the Elector of Cologne Bishop of Munster Duke of Wolfenbuttel and all the neighbouring Circles they made up an Army of thirty five or thirty six thousand Effiective Men. But this great Body was commanded by five Generals independant from one another who being swayed by so many different Interests did not agree in what measures to take one being for the attempting the recovery of the Dukedom of Lorrain another for the Siege of Treves or Philipsburgh another for attacking the Viscount of Turenne with their joynt Forces thereby to retrieve their former disgrace The French Army was at that time not above fifteen thousand strong but the renown of their General and their late Victories had made them so dreadful to the Enemy that they durst not attempt to attack them With this small Army he kept them in play for two Months together in the Lower Alsace till having at last receiv'd a reinforcement of some Regiments he march'd directly against the Allies to give them Battle before they could be joyn'd by the Elector of Brandenburgh's Forces and those of the Duke of Brunswick The Name of the Viscount of Turenne famous by so many Victories was become so terrible to the Enemy that most were of opinion they would scarce care to face him but beyond all expectation they receiv'd him with all imaginable bravery so that the fight was very obstinate and dubious for some time till at last Victory of Entsheim Octob. 4. having brought them into confusion they were forc'd to quit the Field with the loss of three thousand Men ten pieces of Cannon
and thirty Colours and Standards The French were so eager in the pursuit that the Enemies to fly with the more conveniency threw away their Cuirasses and Arms of which there was a great quantity found all round about the Field of Battel This Action as brave as it was yet was not the most glorious of this Campaign For the Allies having been joyn'd by the Troops of Brandenburgh and Brunswick Zell about the middle of October were near threescore and ten Thousand strong in the Field an Army so numerous it was fear'd would like a Deluge over-run all our Conquests on that side but that the King with an incredible resolution without being in the least surprized at their number knew by his Prudence so to manage the Matter that all their Designs turn'd to their own disgrace For immediately after the raising of the Siege of Oudenarde he had ordred a considerable Detachment from Flanders into Germany to join with all possible speed the Viscount of Turenne at the same time he dispatch'd his Orders to him to keep upon the Defensive and as much as possibly could be to provide for the security of those Places which were of most consequence The King wisely foresaw that this vast Multitude would soon be forced to disperse by reason of the Divisions that were among the Generals for want of sufficient Magazines and the Incommodities of the Season which must needs occasion many Diseases among the Souldiers or that at last whenever they should come to separate themselves there could not be wanting an opportunity to engage and vanquish them Accordingly the Viscount of Turenne quitted his Camp to secure a certain Port so convenient and commodious for its situation that with his small Army he conquered both Haugenan and Saverne The Allies who did not judge it adviseable to attack him in this advantageous Post marched directly into the Upper Alsace with an intention to take up their Winter-Quarters in this Province and so to march in the Spring directly either into Lorrain or the Franche Compte thus they lived at discretion for the space of two Months over secure in their own strength till the Viscount of Turenne beat up their Quarters and sent them back to the other side of the Rhine After he had received the abovementioned Reinforcement from Flanders his Army consisted of scarce five and twenty Thousand Men and tho he was sufficiently informed of the strength of the Allies who had near three to one against him he marched in the Month of December taking a great compass about as if he were retiring from before them and shunning to come to an Engagement Thus in lieu of taking the direct Road he marched through Lorrain and having traversed the Mountains without any other Obstacle but what proceeded from the natural situation of these Hills Dec. 29. and the inconveniencies of a far advanced Season he entred the Plains where he found the Enemies scattered up and down in a fatal Security without the least Apprehension of danger from an approaching Enemy at the sight of whom they were struck with such terrour that they were above half vanquish'd before they were attack'd fourteen French Squadrons a thing incredible if it were not unquestionable that when an Army is seized with a sudden and general Consternation they have no leisure to reflect upon the number of the approaching Enemy having passed the River Illin a place which they found fordable put their whole Cavalry to Flight Being recovered from their first Consternation Victory of Turkheim 5th Jan. 1675. they resolved to stand the Brunt at a place call'd Turkheim but with no better success than before they being routed a second time and forced to retreat in great confusion to the Rhine which they repass'd on the 11th of January in the Year 1675. there being not above twenty thousand left of that vast Army the rest were either taken Prisoners or perished by the Sword Famine Debaucheries and Distempers All these Victories as they were the happy Products of the King's Vigilancy Campaign of 1675. and the Bravery of his Soldiers so they struck such a Terrour among his Enemies that they were resolved to try their utmost the next following Campaign The King finding their Preparations suitable to their Designs set out early in the Spring for the Army and having ordred the Seige of Dinant and Huy after the Reduction of these two Places the first by the Marshal de Crequy the second by Henry Lewis Dalenny de Rochfort likewise Marshal of France the City of Limburgh famous for its strength and being the Capital of the Province of the same Name was immediately Besieged by Henry Julius Duke of Enguen since Prince of Conde which was forced to surrender within eight Days after It is true the Governour of the Spanish Netherlands in conjunction with the Prince of Orange marched to its Relief with an Army consisting of fifty Thousand effective Men but finding at their approach that the place was surrendred they retreated without doing any thing further that Campaign than to consume all the Forage in Brabant and to ruine their own Territories But Germany was the Theater of War where the most glorious Actions were performed during this Campaign Fortuneseeming to keep an equal Balance betwixt Us and the Allies on that side The Enemies Army upon the Rhine appearing more numerous in the Field than it had done any time since the beginning of this War The last Campaign there had been so many Factions as there were Generals among them that to speak impartially they were without a Head to Command them But now things appear'd with quite another Face the whole Army being Commanded by the Count of Montecuculi the same who two Years before had the chief Command of the Imperial Army upon the Rhine He was an old and experienced General very well versed in the whole Art and all the Stratagems of War always upon his Guard whose Ambition was not so much to gain any particular advantage upon his Enemy as to bring a whole Campaign to a happy Conclusion The Viscount of Turenne General of the King's Army on the Rhine was not inferiour to him either in Experience or any other Qualification belonging to a Great General and it may be said without Flattery that his Name was more famous and his Reputation better established by an infinite number of glorious Actions in all which he had given most ample demonstrations to the World that never any General was comparable to or at least never surpassed him in the Art of War Among the most Renowned Heroes in former Ages who by their great Actions and Conquests have rendred their Names so famous to Posterity there are few who can boast of the same Skill wherewith this Great General used to Discipline his Troops to provide them with all Necessaries and to make use of all Advantages to thwart the Designs of his Enemies It was without all question a thing worth the notice and
attention of all Europe to see these two great Captains to use their utmost Endeavours to outvie one another in their swift Marches in their Encampments and to make use of all the most refined Stratagems to prevent one another from gairing the least advantage The Viscount de Turenne had nevertheless the good Fortune to pass the Rhine almost in sight of the Confederate Army which done he possess'd himself of so advantageous a Post that without the least fear of being forced in his Entrenchments he might cut off the necessary Convoys from the Enemy An Action so Glorious which had broken all the Measures of his Rival at one stroke was look'd upon by all Europe to be equivalent to a Victory But the Viscount de Turenne not satisfied with this Advantage unless he had also routed the Confederate Army had enclosed them so narrowly on all sides that it was impossible for them to march off without coming to handy Blows In order to this he went out of his Camp on the 27th of July to view a certain place where he intended to raise a Battery the better to annoy the Enemy where he was unfortunately slain by a Cannon-shot The Death of the Marshal de Turenne which struck against his Breast and laid him dead upon the Ground Never was any General more universally lamented neither did ever any one deserve it better He was a Person of extraordinary Merit a Great Captain and excellent Politician a Man equally modest and agreeable in Conversation who despised Riches and was an Enemy to Pride who was never backward in doing all the good he could and never known to do harm to any Body all his Passion being directed to glorious Actions It is not to be express'd how sensibly the King was touch'd with the loss of so great a Man he heap'd Honours and Riches upon his Family The Viscount dyed without Children and to give the most ample Testimonies of the Value he put upon his pass'd Services and to Crown the Vertues of so great a Man with due Rewards he caused most magnificent Obsequies to be made in the Church of Paris and order'd his Corps to be deposited in the Abbey of St. Denys the ordinary Burying place of the Kings of France But the greatest ornament of the whole Funeral Pomp was the inexpressible sorrow which appear'd in the Countenance of all the Chief Men of the Kingdom and the everlasting Memory of his great and Glorious Actions But to return to the Rhine the Viscount de Turenne having not communicated his design to any of his Lieutenant-Generals the Count de Lorge his Nephew afterwards made Duke Peer and Marshal of France took upon him the Command of the Army and immediately after his Death repass'd the Rhine and intrench'd himself on the other side till further Orders from the King The Enemy during his Retreat Attack'd him in the Rear but were so vigorously received by the French that they lost above four thousand Men upon this occasion nevertheless the Count de Lorge was not strong enough to prevent Montecuculi from passing the Rhine and marching into the Lower Alsace The French Army was at that time in a very ill Condition in want of Provision and Forage much diminish'd by Sickness and Mortality and so dejected by the loss of their General that it was feared they would have been quite dispersed if the Prince of Conde who by the King's Orders posted in all haste thither from Flanders had not found means to raise their drooping Courage by his Presence Notwithstanding which the Count of Montecuculi laid Siege to the City of Hagenau in August and in the Month of September following fat down before Saverne but upon intelligence that the Prince was marching to their Relief he quitted both these Enterprizes At last towards the latter end of the Campaign the Imperialists were obliged to repass the Rhine and to take up their Winter-Quarters in the Confederate Territories But the Dukes of Zell and Lorrain had much better Success in the Siege of Treves Siege of Treves For these Princes being advertized that the Marshal de Crequy at the Head of an Army was marching to the Relief of the Place left a good Body for the guard of their Trenches and other Works and march'd with a Body of near twenty Thousand Men to meet the Enemy The Marshal had not above nine or ten Thousand Men with him notwithstanding this inequality of their Number he resolved to try his Fortune There are certain happy Moments when we have known a handful of brave resolute Fellows to have driven before them and cut in pieces a whole Army but these Fortunate Moments are so rare that it is more expedient to relie upon the number and equality of our Troops than upon these Accidents To be short Defeat of the Marshal de Crequy this Day proved unfortunate to the Marshal de Crequy for his Infantry being ill seconded by the Cavalry he was entirely defeated and his small Army put to the Rout and dispersed in such a manner that he himself with only three more was forced to shelter themselves in an adjacent Wood from whence he found means to get into Treves He defended the place for three Weeks after with incredible Bravery against his Victorious Enemy and would not-hearken to any Propositions of Surrender tho all the Out-works were taken and that there were several large Breaches in the Walls of the Place The Garrison headed by some mutinous Officers were so exasperated at this desperate Resolution that they resolved to capitulate without him and accordingly surrendred him and many other of the French Officers to the Allies This being the first Campaign which since the beginning of this War had proved prosperous to the Confederates they were so puffed up with their late Success that forgetting their former Misfortunes and the many Advantages we had over them they began to boast that in the next Spring they intended to put their so long projected great design in execution But it was not long before the King made them sufficiently sensible that by the loss of a Place and four or five Thousand Men he was not become less powerful than before For after having Besieged and Taken the City of Conde by assault Conde taken April the 26th towards the latter end of April he ordred the Duke of Orleans to Besiege Bouchain whilst he himself with the head Army covered the Siege to make head against the Enemy in case they should come to its relief The Governour of the Spanish Netherlands and the Prince of Orange brought together a good Army in order as it was believed to attempt the Relief of the Place but judging it not advisable to attack the King they entrenched themselves under the Cannon of Valenciennes in hopes to meet with a favourable opportunity to throw some Supplies of Men and Provisions into Bouchain but they reap'd no other advantage by it than to be Eye-Witnesses of
Victory and their entire submission in relinquishing the Fruits of their Bravery The whole Garrison which consisted still of two thousand eight hundred Men were made Prisoners of War but the Citizens had their chiefest Privileges confirm'd to them In the Afternoon every thing appear'd as quiet in the City as if they had not chang'd their Master A most remarkable Victory where a handful of Men in half an hours time carried several strong Works by Assault passed four or five Ditches and made themselves Masters of one of the strongest and most populous Cities in all Flanders and that with the loss only of Forty Men on our side The taking of Valenciennes did like a dreadful Thunderclap make the whole Country round about tremble for fear there being scarce one City tho' never so strong in those parts which did not dread to undergo the same Fate To raise their drooping Courage the Prince of Orange march'd at the Head of an Army of thirty thousand Men composed of the Dutch Forces to endeavour the relief either of Cambray or St. Omer which were besieg'd both at the same time the first by the King in Person the other by the Duke of Orleans his Majesty's only Brother Cambray being of such a strength and advantageous Situation that it was reported the Spaniards made more account upon it than all the rest of Flanders it was generally believ'd the storm would fall that way but beyond all expectation the Enemy rather chose to relieve St. Omer than Cambray partly because they might with less difficulty possess themselves of some advantageous Posts near St. Omer partly because they had flatter'd themselves with this Opinion that without much resistance they might force our Quarters on one side where they were not very well secur'd The Enemies march was so far from causing the least disturbance among our Soldiers that both Sieges were carried on with the same Vigour as before there being such an Emulation among the Soldiery that one strove to out-do the other in performing their duties the more because they were plentifully provided with every thing necessary for their subsistence For it is to be observ'd that the King took always this sure Maxim to have his Magazins every Year very well provided during the Winter with all manner of Provisions to be in a condition to prevent his Enemies designs and to appear as early in the Field as he judg'd it convenient Cambray was so furiously attack'd by the King Cambray surrender'd April 5. that the City was forc'd to Capitulate within six days after opening of the Trenches the next following Day the King order'd a Detachment of nine Battallions to march with all possible diligence to joyn the Duke of Orleans before the Enemy could force his Lines or engage him This Prince had in the mean while advanc'd so briskly in the Siege of St. Omer that at that very time he had made himself Master of the most considerable Fort near the Place and on which depended hitherto the whole safety of the Town It was at that very instant he received certain intelligence that the Enemy were advanced within six or seven Leagues in order to relieve the Place His Troops were much harass'd and less numerous than the Prince of Orange's but having receiv'd the King's Orders to march against them he marched out of the Lines and having left only a Body of Militia with some regular Troops to guard the Trenches and Works directed his march towards Cassel being confident that the King had taken his measures so surely as that the expected reinforcement would come time enough to his assistance neither did he find himself in the least mistaken in his hopes the above-mention'd Battallions having joyn'd him at the very nick of time as he expected and so a propos that if they had come sooner they would have been less useful The Duke of Orleans strengthen'd by this reinforcement and finding himself not inferiour in number to the Enemy sought only for an opportunity to execute the King's Commands in order to which with a generous resolution he passed the next Day with his Army a small Brook which separated the two Armies and attack'd the Enemy with great fury Battli of Cassel April 11. The first Encounter was the most terrible that had been seen in the memory of Man both sides fighting with an equal bravery so that the success remain'd doubtful for some Hours just as if Fortune had taken a particular delight to see so many brave Men dispute Victory to the utmost of their power But after the Enemy had stood their ground bravely for three Hours they were at last forc'd to give way and soon after being broken on all sides to seek for their safety in their Heels leaving as a pledge of their defeat to the mercy of our Soldiers all their Ammunition and Baggage seventeen Standards four and forty Colours thirteen pieces of Cannon three thousand Prisoners and the Field all cover'd with dead and wounded Men Six thousand of them were counted to be fallen upon the spot the rest sav'd themselves under the favour of the Hedges and Defiles the approaching Night and the vast number of small Channels in which the Country abounds serving them for a safeguard against their Enemies who durst not pursue them but with a great deal of caution The Duke of Orleans acquir'd immortal Glory in this Action having shewn himself as great a General in the disposition of his Army as he behav'd himself a brave Soldier during the whole Engagement having receiv'd two Shot in his Armour as he was rallying some Battallions and leading them on again to Charge the Enemy he continued with his Army for 2 Days after near the Field of Battle the better to give his Orders for the pursuit of the Enemy and to see whether perhaps they might be in a condition to try their Fortune and attempt the relief of the Place a second time but having received certain intelligence that they were retreated far into the Country he return'd with his Troops to the Lines to continue the Siege of St. Omer without any further interruption In two Days after his new Batteries began to Play against the Body of the Place and the Trenches were carried on to the Glacis The Counterscarp being taken St. Omer taken a wide Breach was made the Ditch fill'd up in Order to give a General Assault the Town Capitulated after having defended it self with a great deal of Gallantry and Resolution Three days before the Citadel of Cambray had likewise been forc'd to a Surrender by the King The Garrison was composed of seven old Regiments whereof two were Spaniards two Lorrainers and three Walloons under a Governor who had an equal share of bravery and skill in Martial Affairs The Place was well provided with every thing for its Defence and of such a strength that its Fortifications were look'd upon as impregnable Every thing seem'd to concur for a Vigorous Defence
and Money the Prince judged it most for his Purpose to make his application to the Court of England The English at that time overflow'd in Riches they had in a manner managed all the Traffick of Europe alone for three Years last past Their great affluence of Riches had made them jealous of our King 's growing Power and being besides this desirous of Glory and of signalizing themselves abroad they earnestly wished for a War with France which had made them more than once to sollicite King Charles II. to enter into the Confederacy This appearing a favourable juncture to the Prince of Orange's Design he undertook a Journey to London as well to engage that King in an Alliance against us as to espouse the eldest Daughter of the Duke of York The Prince of Orange being K. Charles II. his Nephew was much beloved and esteemed by him The Prince's Religion his great Capacity and Riches his Aversion to France and his great Interest in Holland had procured him great and many Friends in both Houses of Parliament It is easie to be imagined that upon this occasion he made use of all his Engines to draw his Uncle into the Confederacy for which reason he perswaded him to project certain Propositions of Peace and to declare against those that should refuse to accept of them League betwixt England and Holland France being unwilling to hearken to these Conditions great Levies were made in England and some of their Troops were transported into Flanders But neither this New League neither the English Auxiliary Troops were sufficient to stop the Progress of our King 's Victorious Arms or to hinder him from making new Conquests in the next Spring The better to cover his design Campaign in 1678. he took a Progress into Lorrain the beginning of February where he continued all that Month with the Queen and the whole Court During this Progress his Armies in Flanders in Germany and Lorrain were continually in motion so that these Marches and Countermarches did amuse the Enemy to that degree that it was impossible for them to judge which of their Places was most in danger and consequently to take any sure Measures for the security of such places as they thought most exposed for fear of leaving others unprovided in case of an Attack For the King having his Magazines well provided with every thing necessary for the carrying on four or five Sieges at a time from the Sea to the Rhine the Confederates were put under a necessity of fearing all without being able to guess whereabouts the Storm would fall Whilst they were under this perplexity the Marshal de Humiers made a faint as if he intended to Besiege Ipres which obliged the Governour of the Spanish Netherlands to send thither a great part of the Garrison of Ghent But scarce were they on their March towards Ipres when the City of Ghent it self was invested by threescore Thousand Men who were order'd thither from all the circumjacent places and at the same time Ipres Charlemont Namur Mons and Luxenburgh where the Confederates had disposed most of their best Troops were block'd up by several flying Armies Ghent has always been esteemed the largest City of the Low Countries Siege of Ghent it has a good Citadel with very fair Out-works a strong Wall surrounded with a large and deep Ditch Its Fortifications the number and Martial Inclination of its Inhabitants besides its low situation in a Marshy Ground at the Confluence of three Rivers and two Canals which serve for a Barricado against an approaching Enemy did render this Enterprise so difficult in the Eyes of all the World that after the Siege was begun the News of it scarce met with credit in the Neighbouring Countries The King had taken such measures and his Orders were obey'd with such exactness and alacrity that tho' the Place had not been Invested above three Days when he arriv'd in the Camp the Lines of Circumvallation which contain'd eight Leagues in compass were very near brought to perfection notwithstanding the rainy Season and the many difficulties which were to be surmounted in these marshy Grounds It was extreamly bad Weather when he set out from Stenay notwithstanding which he travelled above sixty large Leagues in less than three Days and arrived in the Camp before Ghent on the 4th of March when without dismounting from his Horse or taking the least refreshment or repose he took in Person a view of the Place and all the Works the Governour of Ghent having the same Day open'd the Sluices the King order'd so many Dikes and Ditches for the draining of the Ground to be made that his Forces received no considerable damage by the Water and were preserv'd in so good a condition as to make themselves Masters the next Day of the Counterscarp and some Out-Works Nevertheless this great City defended it self for some time longer till the Inhabitants being made sensible of the effects of our Bombs Carcasses and fiery Bullets which flew as thick as Hail-stones and destroy'd their Houses they beat a Parley The next day after the Citadel was besieg'd by Noon-day Ghent taken which being defended by four good Bastions and a Garrison of a thousand Men yet was forc'd to surrender on the third Day after opening of the Trenches After the taking of Ghent Ypress besieged the King without loosing any time marched directly to Ipress a well Fortified City and conveniently situated for the King to keep correspondence with and secure his other Conquests thereabouts The Spaniards had lately drawn out of the place two Battallions of their best Men whom they sent to Bruges to reinforce that Garrison nevertheless there was at the beginning of the Siege a Garrison consisting of three thousand effective Men old and well disciplin'd Troops besides a great number of brave Officers and Voluntiers who by their Example encouraged the Soldiers to make a vigorous Defence But by the bravery of our Troops the Trenches were carried on to the Glacis and Counterscarp and after a bloody Engagement taken with Sword in Hand so the City and Citadel being without any hopes of relief Capitulated at the same time The Siege cost us abundance of Men tho' it lasted not above nine Days after the opening of the Trenches by reason that the French were not only to overcome the obstinacy of the Besieged who defended themselves very valiantly but also the rigour of the cold Season and the inconveniencies of continual Rains The King's Arms being thus every where crown'd with Success it seem'd that nothing was able to resist his Power those Princes that were enter'd into a League against him having for four Years together rais'd no other advantage by the Confederacy than to add new Lustre to his Glory and Power He had at that time two great Fleets at Sea and five Armies on Land which together with his Garrisons consisted of sixty thousand Horse and two hundred and forty thousand Foot all
the occasion of rekindling the Flames and renewing the War with more Vigour and Animosity than before the Emperour and Spain not being wanting to lay hold of this Opportunity to revive the Jealousies and to perswade the Hollanders that the King had no real Inclination for Peace his only design being by withdrawing them from the Confederacy to surprize them hereafter with the more ease Our King had given most evident Proofs of his sincere Intentions for the Peace to promote which he had recall'd his Forces out of Sicily under the Command of Francis de Aubusson la Feuillade Duke Peer and Marshal of France he had at the Intercession of the Hollanders The French leave Sicily prolonged the Term which he had fixed to the Allies for the accepting the Propositions of Peace and tho he had within the last Month extended his Conquests both in Flanders and Catalonia by the taking of two considerable places yet was he so far from taking any advantage of his good Fortune that on the other hand he offered to restore them without any equivalent But notwithstanding all these Demonstrations of his most fervent Inclinations for Peace Matters hung in suspense for some time neither could the Treaty be brought to a Conclusion till the King of Sweden declared by his Ambassadors That he not only consented but also prayed His Most Christian Majesty to restore the above mentioned Places to Spain and not to delay any longer to give Peace to Europe on account of the particular Interest of the Crown of Sweden This grand Obstacle being removed the Peace was signed betwixt the King and the States the 10th Day of August in the Year 1678. Within four Days after the Prince of Orange attack'd the Duke of Luxemburgh who whilst they were contesting at Nimeguen kept Mons block'd up with an Army of forty Thousand Men. Peace of Nimeâ—uen The Prince of Orange had in view no less than the breaking off of the whole Treaty or at least to obtain some more advantageous Conditions if he happened to succeed in this Enterprize The Duke of Luxemburgh could not in the least suspect his Intention as having received fresh Assurances that the Peace was signed Engagement near St. Denis but by his brave Resolution he diverted the danger that he had put himself into by his being too confident of his own Security by the Peace The Action was very bloody which was ended at Night without any considerable Advantage on either side unless that the Enemy retired in some Confusion and were pursued to their Camp The next Day there was a Cessation of all Hostilities the Peace was proclaimed the same Day in the Camp and ratified within a Month after After the Conclusion of this Treaty with the Dutch the Spaniards found themselves under an indispensible necessity to accept of those Conditions the Hollanders had procured for them It was in vain for the rest of the Confederates to make use of all their Perswasions and Intrigues to prevent the Spaniards from accepting of them who signed the Peace on the seventeenth of September following This done the King without losing any further time order'd his Troops towards the Rhine with an Intention to attack the Emperour and Empire with the utmost vigour before the Winter some of the German Princes dreading the Storm that threatned them began to withdraw from the rest and to make their Applications to the Spaniards and States-General to be comprehended in the Treaty But Spain pursuant to asecret Agreement as it was supposed betwixt those two Branches of the House of Austria made several Delays in the Ratification of the Peace so that the time prefixed for the said Ratification notwithstanding it had been twice prolonged at the Request of the Dutch was very near expired In the mean while the French Forces made frequent Excursions into the very Heart of Flanders not sparing even those places that had hitherto escaped from being visited by them they exacted such vast Sums from all the circumjacent Country and pillaged all such as refused to pay them Contributions that according to the computation and confession of the Enemies themselves the flat Country suffered more from the time of the signing till the Ratification of the Treaty than it had done in the heat of the War The Cries and Lamentations of the People did at last overcome the Resolution of the Spanish Council who in spite of all the opposition made by the rest of the Allies caused the Peace to be ratified in December in the Year 1678. Immediately after the King order'd his Ambassadors at Nimeguen to declare to the Emperour's Ministers that in case their Master did not think fit to accept of the same Conditions as they had been proposed in the Project of the General Peace within a limited time that after that there should be no further talk of Peace This Declaration and the fear they were in of the King's Forces that were approaching the Rhine made the Emperour and Empire at last resolve rather to chuse the Harbour than to expose themselves in the open Sea to so dreadful a Tempest as threatned their Destruction Thus a Peace was concluded betwixt the Emperour and our King in the Month of February in the Year 1679. upon condition that the Peace of Munster should remain in its full force and that the Emperour should resign all his Right and Soveraignty over the City of Friburgh and the whole Alsace to our King During the Treaty at Nimeguen the King at the Intercession of the Emperour and the rest of the Confederates had left it to the choice of Prince Charles of Lorrain whether he would accept of the Possession of the Dutchy of Lorrain without that of Bar pursuant to the Pyrenean Treaty or whether he would be satisfied if the King restored him to the Possession of both those Dutchies reserving only to himself the City of Nancy and all the Grounds and Highways by which the King's Armies were to march into Germany The Prince at first chose the last of these two but soon after repenting his Choice refused to accept either But tho the Peace was signed betwixt the Emperour and the King the King of Denmark and Elector of Brandenburgh protested against it continuing to make vast Preparations to maintain themselves in their Conquests taken from the Swedes in Germany But when the French Troops began to approach the Frontiers of Brandenburgh these Princes were foon brought to a compliance and shew'd as much eagerness for the Peace as they had shewn aversion against it before The King of Sweden received full satisfaction they being obliged to restore all that had been taken from that Crown without any other Equivalent but a good Sum of Money which was paid them by our King It will without all question appear surprizing and perhaps past belief to Posterity how France should have been strong enough to withstand so many Enemies at one time and that after they had been vanquish'd
inhabited by the last and that a good number of Prudent and Zealous Missionaries should be sent among them who by their Instructions and good Examples might bring back these lost Sheep to the Sheep-fold To back their Zeal and Endeavours by his Royal Authority he promised ample Rewards Honours and Privileges to such of his Subjects as would return into the bosom of the Church and to punish those that remain'd obstinate he not only excluded them from his Household and all other employments of Honour or Profit but order'd also that Soldiers should be quarter'd in their Houses till such time that they might be prevail'd upon to change their Opinion In such a case as this it is not sufficient to give good and wholesome Instructions there being a certain benummedness as it may be said in Mankind which oweing its Off-spring to a long Custom makes them look with too much indifferency after the means of their Salvation unless they be spurr'd on by fear Most Men are so prepossessed with prejudices especially if degenerated into a habit of carelesness that they think it scarce ever worth their while to make a due search after Truth unless they be forc'd thereunto by the apprehensions of danger and the desire of living in quiet The King order'd all the Courts of Justice erected by vertue of the Edict of Nantes to be abolish'd and in lieu of them made several Laws in favour of the Catholick Religion which debarr'd them from that pernicious liberty of abjuring the true Religion and those of the Protestants who had embrac'd it to return to their former Errors and Heresie under severe punishments to shut up all such Churches as receive them and to forbid the Ministerial Function to their Preachers But these were too fond of maintaining and encouraging their Faction to give ear to the King's Commands who to punish their disobedience order'd many of their Churches to be pull'd down and laid level with the ground especially in such places where the had exercis'd their Divine Worship contrary even to those Edicts which were made in their behalf It is in this place that with all the reason in the World may be apply'd this saying That there are certain Truths which appear so little probable that they resemble more a Fable than Truth it self Will it not appear incredible to Posterity when they shall read that we have seen in our times so strong a Faction dwindle away to nothing without any violence or commotion For in four or five Years time whole Cities were re-united to the Obedience of the Church who had this comfort to see by the conduct of her eldest Son Two Millions of her Children return into her Bosom Thus the King in the Year 1685 on the 22th of October annull'd the Edicts of Nantes and Nismes their Churches were all laid level with the Ground their Ministers banish'd the Kingdom and Calvinism was entirely rooted out without the least commotion As by these so many and great Actions the love which the People bore to the King encreased more and more every Day so it is scarce to be express'd with what a general consternation the whole Kingdom was seiz'd when about a Year after his Life was in danger For seven or eighth Months before In Decem. 1678. he had been much out of order having at several times been seized either with a Fever or some other Distemper till at last it breaking out into an Ulcer an incision was judg'd the only remedy against the Evil which being applied accordingly prov'd so dangerous that he could not possibly have escaped with his Life if the Fever had return'd But the cause of it is attributed by many to the excess of fear which seizes the faint hearted Patient in such an operation so the King having born it without the least commotion he scarce found any alteration having receiv'd the visits of many the same Day appear'd in Council the next and during the whole time he was afflicted with this Evil which lasted above five Weeks he manag'd all State-Affairs and dispatch'd his Orders with the same activity as he was us'd to do before As long as he was judg'd to be in danger the whole Kingdom offer'd up their Vows for his recovery Nothing was more frequent than to see the Handycrafts Men leave their Employments and to run in prodigious numbers to the Churches which were always full from Morning till Night the People flocking in vast numbers to Pray for the King's Health But as they had given most evident proofs of their sorrow and grief hitherto so they strove to out-do one another in their demonstrations of Joy at his Recovery the rejoycings made upon this Occasion being risen to that degree of extravagancy that it was judged convenient to put a stop to them by publick Authority But if his recovery fill'd all his Subjects with joy and satisfaction his Enemies jealous of his greatness were the more surprised when they found themselves deceiv'd in their expectation It was above a Year since the Prince of Orange the Ministers of the Emperor and the Duke of Neuburgh had fomented the jealousie which the other Princes of Europe had conceived at our King's Prosperity The Duke of Neuburgh especially being a very active Prince and a great Politician who never miss'd the least opportunity of promoting his own Interests had made many Cabals against France especially in Germany and Spain where by his perswasions he animated these Princes to enter into a League against us insinuating to them the danger that threatned them smâ—e the conclusion of the Truce made at Ratisbonne in the Year 1684 which he represented to them more disgraceful than the Peace it self made at Nimeguen and that therefore it would be more for their Interest to take up Arms for the recovery of their Losses and Reputation an open War being less dangerous than to suffer France to bid defiance to them in the midst of Peace that they could scarce hope for a more favourable juncture than this the present greatness of France being owing to their King whose health being now impaired to that degree as not to be able to get on Horseback and to animate his Subjects by his Presence These insinuations and intrigues were at last so prevailing that in the Year 1686 in July an Alliance was concluded at Augsburgh against France betwixt the Emperor the King of Spain the States-General of the United Provinces the Elector Palatin and the Electors of Brandenburgh and Saxony many Catholick and generally all the Protestant Princes of Germany After the taking of Luxemburgh and the conclusion of the Truce the King had shewn more inclinâ—… than ever to maintain the Peace of Christendom he had let the Emperor gain several Battles and Conquer a whole Kingdom without any opposition or making the least Diversion which might in all probability have prevented the Imperialists from extending their Conquests and ruining the Ottoman Empire which seem'd at that time to
Hollanders fighting like Lions we took one of their Ships of sixty Guns another was sunk and a third burnt besides there were twelve more of their best Ships so much disabled in their Masts and Riggings that not being able to carry them off they were forc'd to sink and to burn them The Count de Tourville pursu'd them for two days after and would in all probability have destroy'd their whole Fleet if the Wind had not turn'd against him which gave the Enemy opportunity to bring the rest of their Ships into a place of security This disgrace put the Enemies into no small consternation forasmuch as they had flatter'd themselves that they were much superiour to us at Sea and that no body hitherto had been bold enough to dispute with them the Sovereignty of the Sea The Prince of Orange King Willian III. laying the cause of this disaster to the mismanagement of the English Admiral he was tryed and acquitted of what was laid to his charge But whilst the English and Dutch made heavy complaints on both sides laying the loss of the Battle at one anothers Doors the French obtain'd another signal Victory about five Weeks after being the eighteenth Day of August For the Spanish Auxiliaries Defeat of the Duke of Savoy with a good Body of Imperial Troops having joyn'd the Duke of Savoy he took the Field and after several marches and counter-marches encamped boldly within sight of the French Army being cover'd on the Right by a large Wood on the Left by boggy Grounds and having in the Front a small Rivulet Both the Armies were near equal in number that of the Allies being Commanded under the Duke of Savoy by some of their best Officers The Sieur de Catinat Commander in Chief of the French in those parts appear'd the first time in this Campaign at the Head of a great Army He was descended from a Family that ow'd its Off-spring to the Gown but by his many Services render'd himself not inferiour to any of our age that have rais'd their Families by the Sword This wise General having taken a view of and found a passage thro' the Boggs attack'd the Enemy on that side with incredible bravery that their left Wing was brought immediately into confusion the right Wing held it out for some time after but being likewise broken at last a great slaughter ensued most of their Infantry being cut to pieces and their Cavalry sav'd themselves by repassing the River Po leaving the Field and their whole Artillery except one piece of Cannon which was thrown into the River with I all their Ammunition and many Colours and Standards to the mercy of the Enemy Four thousand of them were kill'd upon the spot whereas on our side we had not above an hundred and fifty dead and four hundred wounded Men. The Conquest of Savoy which with some part of Piedmont submitted immediately after to our King was the first Fruit of this Victory For Saluzzas open'd its Gates the very next Day after the Battle The Town and Castle of Suza surrender'd soon after so that we remained Masters of the Field and all the flat Country till the time of withdrawing our Forces for the conveniency of our Winter-Quarters As we had been successful even beyond hopes near the Alps so there pass'd nothing of moment near the Rhine the Germans being very careful in avoiding an Engagement For no sooner had they receiv'd intelligence that the Dauphin had passed the Rhine but they intrench'd themselves so strongly on the other side the River Neckar that it was impossible to force them in their Post or to bring them to an Engagement Thus this Campaign would have prov'd as successful as any since the beginning of the War if the French Troops in Ireland under the Command of the King of England had met with the same success on that side For after the Prince of Orange King William III. Battle fought in Ireland near the Boyne in July had taken a resolution to pass over into that Island in Person to reduce it to his Obedience he gave Battle to the Irish within twenty Days after his arrival near the River Boyne Seven thousand French seconded by the Irish Horse who behav'd themselves very well sustain'd for some time the whole power of the Enemy but the Irish Foot being immediately brought into confusion the rest were entirely routed The loss of this battle put the whole Kingdom into such a consternation that the King of England not thinking himself secure there immediately repass'd the Seas and arriv'd safely at Brest The Marshal and Duke of Schomberg who had acquir'd immortal Glory whilst he was in our King's Service was kill'd in the Engagement His obstinate perseverance in the Calvinism had oblig'd him to quit France and to engage himself in the Service of the Prince of Orange King William III. who also receiv'd a slight hurt About five Weeks after the Battle he besieg'd Limerick The Garrison of the Town consisted of near six thousand French under the Command of Monsieur de Boisleleau Captain of our King's Guards who had after the last Engagement thrown themselves into the Place The Siege was carried on with the utmost Vigour but by the bravery of the Garrison and the help of fresh Supplies brought into the Place together with the scarcity of Forage continual Rains and sickness that had infected the Camp the Prince of Orange King William III. was oblig'd to raise the Siege After his return into England he appli'd all his care to make the necessary preparations for sending a considerable Body of his Troops into Flanders Campaign in 1691. and to appear at the Head of them in Person for fear least some of the Allies might in his absence enter upon a separate Treaty with France He was met at the Hague by the Electors of Bavaria and Brandenburgh by the Landtgraves of Hesse three Dukes of the House of Brunswick Congress at the Hague besides thirty other Princes by the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands the Emperor's Envoy those of Spain and several other Electors and of the Duke of Savoy and all the General Officers who were at this Council of War to concert measures concerning the operations of the next Campaign But whilst they spent their time in debates they receiv'd the unexpected News that the City of Mons had been invested by the French on the fifteenth of March and that the King was expected in the Camp by the twentieth or one and twentieth of the same Month. This sudden News like a Thunderclap dispers'd the whole Congress Most of the Princes there present return'd straightways into their respective Countries either because they did not think it convenient to be Spectators of the taking of the Place or to hasten their Troops to march to the relief of it The City of Mons is situate upon a rising ground surrounded with Boggs and consequently strong both by Art and Nature It is a very large
had leisure given them to put themselves in a posture to receive them It is in vain to chose ones time unless it be improved to the best advantage For in the mean time the Duke of Luxemburgh order'd his best Battallions to advance with all speed who being posted where the Enemy must Attack us sustained by the Troops of the King's Houshold and these again by several other Bodies of Horse The Pass was so narrow that not being able to extend our Lines in Front we were forced to double them For the first two hours they fir'd most terribly on both Sides the Battallions advancing so near that they discharged their Musquets cross one another The Enemy fir'd more briskly than we for some time they got Ground of us and made themselves Masters of four of our Pieces of Cannon but the French perceiving that their Musquets were not likely to do the Work threw them down and being led only by their Officers but esspecially by the Princes the Duke of Chartres the Duke of Bourbon the Prince of Conty Duke de Maine and others charged the Enemy with their Swords in hand so furiously that they forced them to retreat many of whom were cut in pieces the rest saving themselves in an adjacent Wood. They were pursued for an hour after and the Field of Battle for a League together was covered all over with dead Carcasses which in some places lay six Foot high upon one another This Victory cost us two or three Thousand of our best Men among whom were many Persons of Merit and Quality especially the Prince of Turenue eldest Son to the Duke of Bovillon who died the day after the Battle of his Wounds The loss of the Enemy amounted to nine Thousand kill'd upon the spot and as many wounded We took nine Colours and ten pieces of Cannon but only thirteen hundred Prisoners the English refusing to ask Quarter It was much about the same time that the Duke of Savoy made an Irruption into the higher Dauphine The Duke of Savoy invades France in August where he lost abundance of his Men without striking a stroke The Confederates had for a considerable time before formed a Project of entring Dauphine and Provence flattering themselves with hopes that the new Converts would revolt and join them from all Parts of France To put their so long projected Design in execution the Governour of Milan and the Imperial General Caprara joined with their Troops the Duke of Savoy They carried along with them Arms for thirty Thousand Men and were provided with Ministers who in all places through which they passed endeavoured in their Sermons to sow the Seed of Rebellion and Calvinism among the People But they found themselves entirely mistaken in their Expectation the new Catholicks being so far from shewing the least Inclination for a Revolt that they were the most forward upon all Occasions to do what Mischief they could to the Enemy by drawing them into Ambushes and killing without Mercy all such as they met with stragling or otherwise detach'd from their main Body This was the Reason why the Confederates made but little Progress and their proposed Conquest turn'd to a very slender Account They took Guillestre in three days Ambrun held out six Gap being only provided with ten Men to keep the Gates receiv'd them without the least Resistance Guillestre is at present no more than a Country Town without any other Defence but two old ruin'd Bastions Ambrun is indeed a small City but defended only by a single Wall But the Besieged supplying the defect of their Fortifications by their own Courage defended the Place so well that the Enemies nemies were not Masters of it but with the Loss of above fisteen hundred Men. Thus ended this Expedition of the Duke of Savoy who being faln ill and finding his Army considerably diminished by Sickness and Fatigues repassed the Alpes carrying no other Spoils along with him but the Bells of Ambrun and Gap In the same Month the Marshal de Lorge obtained a Victory over six thousand German Horse in the Country of Wirtembergh if the Pursuit of a flying Enemy vanquish'd without effusion of Blood may be dignified with that Name For no sooner did the German Horse perceive the Vant. Guard of the King's Army but they betook themselves to flight The Germans routed near Phortzheim towards the latter end of August nine hundred of them were kill'd in the pursuit and six hundred taken Prisoners among the last was the Duke of Wirtembergh who commanded this Body in Chief The City Phortsheim was taken the next day by our Forces where they had laid up all their Provisions for the rest of the Compaign The Landgrave of Hesse was at that time taken up with the Siege of Eberenburgh a small Place fortified by the French for the conveniency of their Magazines but as soon as he received the News of this Defeat and the approach of the Marshal de Lorge in order to relieve the place he raised the Siege with so much precipitation that they left behind them some of the Cannon with all their Ammunition and all other Necessaries belonging to a Siege Most people were of Opinion that these frequent Distasters would have both exhausted the Strength and Hatred of the Confederates but flattering themselves with these vain hopes Campaign of 1692. that these Conquests would at last turn to the destruction of France they resolved to abate nothing of their Resolution in vigourously prosecuting the War and remaining steadfast in the Confederacy especially since the Prince of Orange K. William III. did not cease to insinuate to them by his Ministers that this was the only way left for their mutual Preservation since if they were not able when joyn'd together to ballance the Power and Success of our King's Arms it would be no difficult Task for him to vanquish them singly whenever he should take a Resolution to dispossess them of their Estates after the breaking of the League Both sides therefore made all imaginable Preparations to prosecute the War with more vigour than ever The Confederates to defend themselves against the Power of France our King to attack them afresh in the next Campaign This Campaign was opened in Flanders in the Month of January Furnes taken by the taking of Furnes its Garrison consisted of four thousand English and the Elector of Bavaria made all the necessary Preparations to Relieve it but it was surrendred in fifteen Hours being a Place of great Consequence to us to cover our Frontiers and to disappoint the Confederates in their Design of Besieging Dunkirk The Prince of Orange K. William III. had at several times promised the Allies to make a Descent in France which he now being resolved to put in Execution ordered a Fleet to be Equipp'd for that purpose provided with a good number of Flat-bottom'd Vessels for the Conveniency of Landing his Forces which were drawn together near the Sea-side opposite to
the French shoar The King being not ignorant of this Design to encourage his Subjects and take all necessary Precautions the King ordered a good Army to serve as a Guard of his Sea-Costs under the Command of his only Brother the Duke of Orleance The precaution as it was founded upon a sure Maxim of Prudence so it prov'd useless in its Consequence For all these vast Preparations and Threats vanished into Smoak the Troops design'd for this pretended Expedition being sent into Flanders which was only made use of to oblige our King to remove part of his Forces from the Frontiers to defend his own Coasts But this Amusement which was not carried on without vast Expences turn'd but to a very slender Account on the Enemies side without reaping any other Advantage by it than to Alarm our Sea-Coasts with the danger of an Invasion which being soon vanished the People took fresh Courage and were prepared to encounter it with less Surprize for the future For the King was so far from shewing the least Fear upon this Occasion that he attack'd the Enemies with new Vigour on all sides The Marshal de Noailles besieged Roses in Catalonia which place Roses taken tho' considerable for its Strength he took in eight days after opening of the Trenches to wit on the 29th of July Smyrna Fleet intercepted by Tourville The Marshal de Tourville was ordered towards the Streights to intercept the Smyrna Fleet of the English and Dutch of which he on the 29th of June betwixt Cadiz and the Bay of Lagos took burnt and sunk above fourscore Merchant men The rest were dispersed and the Squadron of Men of War which serv'd for a Convoy made the best of their Way towards the English Coast For many Years before neither of these two Nations had received such a Check in their Trade their Loss being esteem'd at thirty Millions of Livres In the beginning of this Spring our King appearing in Person in Flanders it was the general Rumour that he aim'd at Liege but after having given his final Orders concerning the Operation of the Campaign and detach'd near thirty thousand Men under the Command of the Dauphin to reinforce his Army near the Rhine he return'd into France The Mashal de Lorge had in the Month of May Heidelbergh taken and rased by the French made himself Master of Heidelbergh the Capital City of the whole Palatinate before the Enemy could march to its Relief and after having rased the Fortifications both of the City and Castle was marched directly against the Prince of Baden who Commanded the Confederate Army on that side and at the approach of the Marshal retreated before him but after the arrival of the Dauphin with the beforementioned Detachment he entrenched himself strongly at a Pass which he knew impossible to be forced chusing rather to undergo the Inconveniencies of Famine and many Distempers which afflicted his Troops in these inaccessible Places than to hazard a Battle or to decamp before the Dauphin for fear he should force him to come to an Engagement The Prince of Orange K. William III. did not entrench himself but kept the open Field in Flanders yet so as to avoid all Occasions of Fighting The Duke of Luxenburgh who had positive Orders from the King to engage him fained to march towards Liege to attack the Lines and Redoubts which surround that great City This succeeded according to expectation for the Confederate Army advancing near to the Duke to be ready to succour the City the Duke marched directly towards them and arrived in sight of their Camp about six or seven a Clock at Night The Prince of Orange K. William III. was not a little surprised at the suddenness of his March but finding himself under a Necessity to stand an Engagement the next Day he improv'd those few Hours he had to his best Advantage in putting his Troops in Order of Battle raising Batteries in convenient Places in fixing Pallisadoes at the Avenues leading to his Camp he caused two Villages which covered his Right and Left to be Fortified and lin'd the Houses and circumjacent Hedges with his best Infantry and strengthned his Front which reached to and took up all the Ground betwixt these two Villages He employed a great number of Pioneers all the Night long in making a Ditch six Foot broad and three quarters of a League long strengthned without with good Pallisadoes and defended within by a good Line and Redoubts upon which were mounted near a hundred pieces of Cannon The main Body stood behind this Entrenchment sustained by the Cavalry which was posted behind them in two Lines They were the finest Troops that could be seen On the other hand is it possible to imagine that our Soldiers could be so courageous or rather Fool-hardy enough to attempt the attacking of sixty thousand brave Men guarded by such strong Entrenchments The great Artillery began to play at break of Day Battle of Neerwinden 29. July on both sides without intermission till four a Clock in the Afternoon That of the Enemies did great Execution among us being placed upon an Eminency which commanded the Plain The oldest Officers did acknowledge never to have seen Cannon to play with so much Fury and at so little a distance for so long a time together which at a distance resembled more a Sea-Engagement than a Field-Battle The Enemies fired more frequently than we and their Artillery did much more Execution so that this Victory must be meerly ascribed to the invincible Courage of our Soldiery and it must be acknowledged that Philip Duke de Chartres the Duke of Bourbon and de Maine the Prince of Conty and the Count de Thoulouse had a great share in the Success of this Day There was not a Battallion in both the Army 's but what was Engaged in the Battle but the chief Attack was at a Village call'd Neerwinden which covered the Right Wing This Village was taken and retaken twice with great Slaughter till at last our Troops having maintained and strengthned themselves in this Post they entred the Plain and attacked the Enemy both in Front and Flank who received us very Courageously especially the English in the main Body who Charged six times with incredible Bravery but their Cavalry being brought into Confusion and drove into a River the whole Army begun to disperse and to quit the Field by whole Troops and Companies leaving the Victorious Enemy Master of the Field with threescore and sixteen pieces of Cannon eight Mortars nine Patteroons twelve pair of Kettle-Drums abundance of Arms threescore Standards two and twenty Colours and above two thousand Prisoners among whom were two hundred Officers The French lost above three thousand Men killed and four thousand wounded The Loss of the Enemy amounted to near twenty thousand Men both in the Engagement and Flight there being a great number drown'd in endeavouring to Ford the River which for a considerable time after was rendred
into the Air in the open Sea in the Sight of the People the same Chaloops also boarded and took one of their great Ships which they set on Fire They threw in all betwixt eleven and twelve Hundred Bombs which did so little damage that it might be all repair'd for thirty Pistols In hopes of better Success Calais Bombarded the same Fleet Bombarded Calais twice in the Month of August But the loss sustain'd by both these Bombardments did scarce amount to ten thousand Crowns Another convincing Instance of what we said before that their Enterprizes at Sea succeed but seldom and that they rarely prove answerable to the vastness of their Expences The main effort of this Campaign as well as of most of the others was made on the side of Flanders The Armies Encamped very numerous in the Field on both sides and thirty Thousand brave Fellows lost their Lives without coming to a Field Battle For these three years last past the Confederates had formed a Design to attack our Lines to ravage our Conquests and to besiege Dunkirk To prevent their Design the King ordered new Lines to be made from the Schelde to the Lis and from Courtray to the Sea-side Twenty Thousand Pioneers made a Ditch of fourteen Thousand Foot long fifteen Foot broad and twelve Foot deep with an Entrenchment behind it of ten Foot high in less than eight days time These Lines being a fresh Obstacle to the design of the Prince of Orange King William III. he assembled the Confederate Army with all possible diligence near Ipres to endeavour to obstruct the Perfecting of this Work the Lines on that side being not quite brought to Perfection Our Army was above five and twenty Thousand Men inferiour in number to theirs and much harassed by a long March of twice four and twenty hours and consequently not in a condition without taking some repose to make any considerable resistance besides that not above one half of their Train of Artillery was arrived in the Camp The Confederate Army consisted of above an Hundred Thousand Men all fresh Troops provided with a prodigious Train of Artillery so that every thing seemed to concurr to their advantage but they let slip the opportunity of attacking us at the right nick of time for in a few hours after our Cannon arrived in the Camp and our Troops having refreshed themselves a little the Lines were brought to Perfection the next following Night Thus having miss'd their aim they made an attempt upon Fort Knock Attack of Fort Knock. which they attacked three several times and were as often repulsed with the loss of two Thousand Men so that in eight days time they had not got an Inch of Ground But a little time convinc'd the World that a much greater Design was carrying on under the pretence of this Attack For in the mean while the Prince of Orange King William III. had sent some of his best Troops towards the Mesue and so soon as he had received advice that the Troops of Liege and Brandenburgh had invested Namur he and the Elector of Bavaria followed in Person with the rest of the Army to assist at the Siege leaving only thirty Thousand Men under the Command of the Prince of Vaudemont in the Lower Flanders Namur was so well provided with every thing necessary for its defence that it was not questioned but it would make a long and vigorous resistance Lewis Francis Marshal of Bouflers had thrown himself into the place the same day it was Invested There was a Garrison in it of ten Thousand eight hundred Men many good Officers and a great number of brave Volunteers and Ammunition more than was requisite for its defence all which advantages appeared to be such obstacles to the Enemies that most were of Opinion they would be too many for them to surmount and that they would be forced to quit this Enterprize The Marshal de Luxenburgh died in the beginning of January of a Pleurisie Death of the Marshal de Luxenburgh which proved a considerable loss to the King there being not a General left who surpassed him in Experience and Conduct by which he had made his Name glorious to the World and dreadful to the Enemy The King having received news of the Siege sent his Orders to Francis de Neuville Villeroy Marshal of France who suceeded the Duke of Luxenburgh in the Command of the Grand Army in Flanders to enter the Lower Flanders and if possible to fight the Prince of Vaudemont Retreat of prince Vaudemont Pursuant to these Orders he advanced towards the Enemy who would infallibly have been put to the rout if the Prince pursuant to his Orders of avoiding any Engagement had not found means to make a safe Retreat so that in lieu of routing the whole Army of which in all humane appearance but few could have escaped we were forced to be contented with the defeat of two of their Regiments who were most of them cut to pieces in the Pursuit The most Fortunate Retreat that ever was made for if the Princes Army had been routed the Confederates must of necessity have raised the Siege of Namur Ten days after this retreat the Duke de Villeroy Besieged Dixmuyden The taking of Deinse and Dixmuyden which place surrendered in four and twenty hours Deinse opened its Gates at the approach of our Forces There were above eight thousand Men of well disciplin'd Troops in these two places who were all made Prisoners of War besides which we found the Magazine as full of all sorts of Ammunition and this part of the Country having been preserved on purpose by the Confederates our Soldiers got an incredible Booty By the Conquest of the two Places our Forces having open'd themselves the waytowards Ghent and Antwerp the Flemmings as well as the Hollanders were extreamly allarm'd at it especially when they saw them advance but slowly in the Siege of Namur tho' they were plentifully provided with every thing for a vigorous Attack and that they had the advantage of very fair Weather whereas at the time when we besieged it our Forces were not only to fight against the bravery of the Garrison but also against the Inconveniencies of a Rainy and Stormy Season They had raised before it thirty Batteries upon which were mounted an Hundred and thirty pieces of Cannon Siege of Namur by the Allies and Fourscore Mortars This dreadful Artillery play'd without Intermission against the Place as long as the Siege lasted in which they consumed three Millions of Powder Their Army was very formidable and constantly reinforc'd with fresh Troops what Place is able to hold out against such an Attack Notwithstanding all these Advantages the Confederates could not be Masters of the whole till after a Siege of two Months the Besieged like brave Soldiers disputing with them every Inch of Ground Of this we saw an Instance at the taking of the Entrenchments which were made only in haste at some
to his own Credit and Interest as to our King's Protection and the prudent Management of the then Bishop of Marseilles Coll. Johnson and the King's Ambassadour in Poland a great Politician and one of those extraordinary Persons who by their singular Merits become honourable to their Age and Highly Serviceable to the Church and State This King acquir'd immortal Glory about nine Years after when he left his Kingdom and marched in the year 1683 to the relief of Viena But ever since that time he had altred his measures and in lieu of prosecuting the War with vigour against the Infidels had given himself over to Idleness his main Care being to heap up such Treasures for his Children as to put them in a Condition either to obtain the Crown after his Death John Sobieski K. of Poland or at least to put them beyond the want of it whereas the best Treasure he could have left to his Children would have been to bless them with the Love of the People But these gave such evident demonstrations of the little esteem they had for his Family by pillaging his Estate during the Interregnum that it sufficiently appear'd to the World that his memory was become odious to them After the Death of this Prince a general Diet was call'd together in order to chuse a Successor to the Crown At this critical Conjuncture when most Princes of Europe were engaged in a War it was no wonder if each Party pretended to maintain their Interest at this Election The Election of a King of Poland inclining either to the Interest of France or the Confederacy being look'd upon at this juncture of time of such Consequence as to carry along with it no small Influence towards the raising or diminishing the Hopes of the Confederate Princes each Party therefore were not sparing in making Intrigues for or against the Interest of such a Person as they either wish'd to be elevated or excluded from the Throne of Poland Among the rest that pretended to the Crown was the present Czar of Muscovy His Empire is of a very vast extent Candidates for the Crown of Poland Czar of Muscovy reaching from the Boristhenes to the utmost Confines of the North and on the other side from the Frontiers of Sweden to the River Tanais It was represented to the Poles how glorious 't would be to their Nation to chuse a King who Commanded over so vast a Country but they wisely consider'd that their Liberty would be in no small danger under so Potent a Master who was able to bring them under Subjection by the Force of his own Arms. Duke of Lorrian The young Prince of Lorrain eldest Son to the late Prince Charles entred also the List of the Candidates not so much in hopes of succeeding in it as out of an Ambition of being put in the same Rank with the rest in his younger Years There was also much Discourse of Prince Lewis of Baden Prince Lewis of Baden This Prince was a great Master of the Art of War and had had great Success against the Infidels in Hungary whom he had vanquish'd at several times The Emperour in acknowledgment of his Services and the Prince of Orange K. William III. out of a particular Respect for his person would without all question have espoused his Interest if by joynt-consent of the Confederates it had not been judged more advisable to support the Faction of Prince James Sobieski Pr. James of Poland Brother-in-Law both to the Emperour and the Elector of Bavaria Every thing seem'd to concur for his Advantage He was eldest Son to the late King he wanted not Riches to purchase the Voices and Protection of the Great ones The Princes of Germany had espoused his Interest as well as the Dutch the Emperour and Prince of Orange K. William III. made use of all their Credit to promote his Elevation to the Crown But all these Advantages which in all outward appearance seem'd to be the most proper means to compass his Design prov'd perhaps the true cause of his Disappointment For his near Alliance with the House of Austria had raised a Jealousy in the Polish Lords lest he should when once their King improve it to their disadvantage and be encourag'd by the Neighbourhood of the Emperour to make use of his Power to the prejudice of their Liberty The pressing Sollicitations made in his behalf by the German Princes began to be suspected by the Populace by reason of a certain Jealousy and Emulation which is always to be observed betwixt two Potent neighbouring Nations He was as Liberal in his Promises to pay the Debts of the Crown in case he was elected King as profuse in his Money to gain the Hearts of the Poles but in vain nothing being able to remove the Aversion they had conceived against him The Confederates finding the Poles thus disposed began to despair of the Success of the Prince for which Reason they raised a new Faction for the Elector of Saxony The Elector promised to turn Catholick and there were not wanting those Elector of Saxony who assured them that he had abjured the Lutheran Religion two or three Months before notwithstanding that since that time he had made publick Profession of it He offered ten Millions for the Payment of Arrears due to the Army who during the time of the Interregnum had revolted for want of Pay He promised also to maintain at his own Cost fifteen thousand Men and never to make Peace with the Turks till he had restored all what they had taken from the Poles These specious Offers would perhaps have influenced the Poles to prefer the Elector before the rest if the Eyes and Hearts of the Polish Nobility had not been guided by the real Prospect of more solid Advantages The French Ambassador the Abbot Malehoor de Polygnack recommended to them Francis Lewis de Bourbon Prince of Conty Prince of Conty the eleventh Prince of the Royal Blood of France who promised to pay their Troops all their Arrears in ready Money and to retake Caminieck without the least Expence to the Commonwealth The Prince of Conty had gained the Esteem of all Europe not only by his Courage but also by many great and generous Actions and his unparallell'd Moderation He had Signaliz'd himself in the War in Hungary and since his Return had given many Demonstrations of his Valour to the World At Steenkirk and in the Battle of Neerwinden he had shew'd himself both an expert General and a brave Soldier These great Qualifications which made very favourable Impressions in the hearts of a War-like People received a new Lustre by our King's Recommendation to the Chief Men of Poland But this Negotiation met with no small Difficulties as being opposed by almost all the rest of the Princes of Europe The Ministers of these Princes insinuated without intermission to the Poles that to chuse a French Prince would be to put all
France takes Courtray Dixmuyden Furnes and Armentiers p. 65 Ausburgh League made against France here p. 193 Austria Ann of Queen of France the King's Mother and Queen Regent after the Death of Lewis XIII p. 2 Chuses the Cardinal Mazarine her Chief Minister p. 3 She is very desirous to marry the King with the Infanta of Spain p. 15 She presses the Spaniards to give Satisfaction to the King about the Just Pretensions of the Queen p. 64 Her Death p. ib. Austria Maria Theresia of Queen of France Spouse to LEWIS the Great p. 20 Makes her publick Entry in Paris p. 21 Her Just Pretensions upon some of the Provinces of the Low Countries p. 61 Nullity of her Resignation to the Succession of Spain p. 62 63 Her Death p. 170 B. Baden Prince Lewis of Baden Commands upon the Rhine Entrenches himself at the approach of the Dauphin p. 246 Had obtained two great Victories against the Turks p. ibid. Was one of the Candidates for the Crown of Poland p. 296 Barcelona besieged and defended with the utmost Bravery p. 305 Battles of Roeroy Rotheleiler Friburgh Nortlingen and Lintz p. 3 Of St. Anthony p. 5 Of St. Godard p. 57 Of Senef p. 117 Of Sintzheim p. 123 Of Entsheim p. 125 Of Turkheim p. 128 Of Cassel p. 146 Near Epoville p. 151 Of Flerus p. 219 Of St. Denis p. 163 Near the Boyne p. 224 Of Steenkirk p. 239 Of Neerwinden p. 248 Of Marsaglia p. 250 Near the River Ter. p. 258 Batteville Ambassadour of Spain his Enterprize against the Count Estrades the French Ambassadour p. 33 Bavaria Maria Victoria of Bavaria married to Lewis Dauphin of France p. 171 She has three Sons Her Death p. 285 Bavaria Charlott Elizabeth of Bavaria Dutchess of Orleance her Pretensions to the Succession of the Elector Palatine her Brother p. 194 Bavaria Maximilian II. Elector and Duke of Bavaria declares in favour of the Allies p. 207 He Assists with his Troops at the Siege of Mayence p. 216 Is present at the Great Council held at the Hague p. 226 Is made Governour of the Spanish Netherlands during Life p. 235 Commands the Spanish Troops at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 And at Neerwinden And all the following Campaigns p. 248 p. ibid. Bavaria Prince Clement of Brother to the Elector is elected Archbishop of Cologne when he was seventeen years old p. 201 Beauvilliers Paul Duke of Beauvilliers Governour of the Children of France p. 285 Beaumont taken by the Allies p. 228 Bellefonds Bernhard de Gigaut Marshal of France p. 66 Berry Charles of France Duke of Berry p. 285 Besanson Besieged and taken by the King p. 116 Brisseleau Francis defends Limerick in Ireland p. 225 Bombardment of Tripoli and Algiers p. 171 172 Of Genoa p. 172 Of Pignerol p. 250 Of St. Malo p. 252 p. 267 Of Diepe p. 261 Of Havre de Grace p. 262 Of Calais p. 262 268 Of Dunkirk p. 261 260 Of Brussels p. 273 Bonn taken by the Allies p. 218 Bossuet Jacobus Benignus Bishop of Meaux Preceptor of the Dauphine p. 170 Bouchern taken by the Duke of Orleance p. 134 Bouflers Lewis Francis Duke of Bouflers Marshal of France defends Namur p. 271 Commands one of the great Armies in Flanders p. 279 Bourbon Lewis Duke of Bourbon Son to Julius Prince of Conde signalizes himself at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 And of Neerwinden p. 248 Bournaville Prince of General of the Imperialists put to flight by the Viscount of Turenne p. 124 Brahe Count of Swedish Ambassadour in England what hapned at his publick Entry p. 33 Brandenburgh Frederick William Elector of go's into the Campaign to assist the Hollanders p. 99 Repasses the Weser upon the approach of the French Army p. 100 Makes Peace p. 101 Takes up Arms a second time p. 102 126 His success against the Swedes p. 159 Is obliged to restore what he had Conquer'd from the Swedes p. 160 161 Brandenburgh Frederick II. takes Keyserswert p. 215 Born p. 218 Reinforces the Army of the Allies after the Battle of Fleurus p. 220 Brisac A Chamber establish'd at Brisac p. 274 Bulls refused by Pope Innocent XI to those Bishops that had assisted at the Assembly of Clergy in the Year 1682. p. 187 Burgundy Lewis Duke of Burgundy Eldest Son of Lewis Dauphin of France p. 285 Burgundy The King obliges the King of Spain not to make use for the future of that Title p. 177 Burick Surrendred p. 87 C. Cadees Establishment of the Academies of Cadees p. 168 Calais The King falls dangerously ill in this Place p. 13 Bombarded See Bombardment of the French Callieres Francis Lord of Negotiates at the Hague p. 291 Plenipotentiary at the Treaty of Reswick p. ibid. Calvinism its first Origin Progress and Suppression in France p. 75 187 Calvo Francis Count of defends Mastricht p. 135 Cambray The City and Cittadel taken by the King p. 135 Campaigns of 1667. p. 65 Seq of 1672. p. 85 Of 1673. p. 101 Seq Of 1674. p. 113 Of 1675. p. 128 Of 1676. p. 134. Seq Camp of 1677. p. 139 Of 1678. p. 153 Of 1688. p. 203 Of 1689. p. 213 Of 1690. p. 218 Of 1691. p. 225 Of 1692. p. 231 Of 1693. p. 244 Of 1694. p. 253 Of 1695. p. 262 Of 1696. p. 276 Of 1697. p. 292 Campredon taken by the Marshal of Noailles p. 214 Caprara Count of General of the Imperialists p. 123 242 Carmagnole Surrendred p. 230 Carthagena taken and plundered by the French p. 307 Casal possess'd by the French p. 174 Is besieged by the Allies and dâ—molish'd p. 265 266 Castle Follet p. 264 Castile that Kingdom from before the Year 1017 only an Earldom p. 32 Catinat Nicolas de Marshal of France His Exploits in Savoy and Piedmont p. 223 230 250 Takes Aeth in Flanders p. 293 Cardaigne the Country of Conquer'd by the Duke of Noailles p. 229 Chenailly Marquiss of defends Grave with great Bravery p. 120 121 Charles II. King of Spain His Sickness p. 286 Charles II. King of England sells Dunkirk to the French King p. 47 48 Engages in a War against the Dutch p. 58 Enters with them into an Alliance p. 67 Declares War against them a second time p. 95 Makes Peace with them p. 110 Makes a new Alliance with Holland against France p. 153 Is acknowledged Mediator at the Peace of Nimhegen p. 157 Charles IV. Duke of Lorrain his Character Conduct in respect to the Spaniards p. 79 80 Defeats the Marshal of Crequy and takes him Prisoner in Treves p. 133 134 Charles V. Duke of Lorrain forced to repass the Rhine p. 151 Refuses the Alteration offered him by the King at the Treaty of Nimhegen p. 166 Charles Leopold his eldest Son is put in Possession of that Dutchy p. 309 Charleroy p. 265 100 149 Chartres Philip Duke of only Son of Philip of France Duke of Orleance is wounded at Steenkirk p. 239 Signalizes himself at Neerwinden p. 248 Chigi Cardinal Legat sent into France to
p. 92 Noailles Philip de Montaut Duke de Noailles Marshal of France p. 149 Newburgh Duke of his Character p. 193 Cabals against France p. ibid. Presses the Emperour to conclude a Peace with the Turks p. 194 Endeavours to make one of his Sons Coadjutor of Cologne p. 199 Neutrality proposed for the French Comte p. 113 For Catalonia p. 289 Refused by the Allies but accepted for Italy p. 283 Nice taken p. 230 Nimhegen taken p. 94 Chosen for the Place of Treaty of Peace p. 157 Noailles Ann Julius Duke of Peer and Marshal of France Commands in Catalonia takes Campredon p. 214 Roses p. 245 Palamos p. 259 Gironne p. 269 Gains the Battle of Ter. p. 258 Noailles James Lieutenant General of the French Gallies signalizes himself at the Siege of Barcelona p. 302 Orange William III. Prince of Entrenches himself near the Issel p. 88 Besieges Voerden p. 97 Charleroy twice p. 101 149 Oudernard p. 120 Mastrick p. 135 His overthrow near Voerden p. 97 Near Senef p. 117 And near Cassel p. 146 Orange Prince of his Exploits takes Naerden p. 108 Bonn. p. ibid. Grave p. 120 O. Orange Prince of makes a Descent in England and is received with great Acclamation p. 211 Is Crown'd and acknowledged lawful King by the Emperour King of Spain and the rest of the Roman Catholick Confederate Princes and in general by all the Protestant Princes p. 212 Orleance Philip of France Duke of takes Orsoy p. 87 Besieges St. Omer p. 147 Takes it p. ibid. Defeats the Prince of Orange near Cassel p. 146 Oudernard the Siege of Oudernard raised p. 120 Oudewater a small Place in Holland p. 92 P. Peace see Treaty Palamos taken p. 259 Palatinate Conquer'd by the Dauphin p. 204 Palatine see Newburgh Palermo see Sea-fight Pamiers Bishop of makes his Complaint to Pope Innocent XI concerning the Regale p. 182 Philip IV. King of Spain conducts in Person the Infanta his Daughter to St. John de Luz p. 18 Resigns the Precedency to our King p. 37 Philipsburgh taken by the Enemy p. 139 Retaken by the Dauphin p. 203 Piedmont Conquest in Piedmont p. 230 231 Pignerol bombarded by the Allies p. 250 Pimentel Don Antonio d' employed to conclude the Marriage betwixt the Infanta of Spain and the King p. 18 Pisa see Treaty Plate the King's Plate employed to the use of the War p. 78 Plenipotentiaries assembled at Nimhegen p. 157 Frankfurt p. 175 176 At Reswick p. 291 Ponty the Sieur d' takes Carthagena in America p. 307 Poland the Diet for the chusing a King of Poland p. 295 Polignac Melchior d' French Ambassadour in Poland p. 299 Precedency disputed to France by Spain p. 33 Propositions the five Propositions of Janson condemned by Innocent X. and Alexander VII p. 72 73 R. Ratisbonne see Diet. Ravensberg ravaged p. 101 Regale in what it consists the King's Declaration about it p. 180 181 Renunciation Nullity of the Queens Renunciation to the Succession of Spain p. 62 p. 63 Re-Unions of the Dependencies in Alsace and the three Bishopricks by the Chambers of Brisac and Metz. p. 174 Revolution in England p. 210 Rhineberg surrendred p. 87 Rhine an account of the passing the Rhine p. 88 Richelieu Cardinal of p. 3 Reswick Situate betwixt Delft and the Hague the Place of Conference for the General Peace p. 288 Rome Affairs of Rome p. 180 seq Roses taken p. 245 Ruiter Admiral of Holland miscarries at Martinico p. 122 Defeated by Duquesne p. 137 Mortally wounded p. ibid. S. Salines taken p. 116 Saluzze opens its Gates p. 224 St. Andrew Fort of p. 92 St. Ann Fortress of p. 116 St. Brigit Fort of p. 250 St. Cyr a Community of three hundred young Ladies p. 169 St. Guillaine taken p. 152 St. Jean de Luz p. 18 St. Malo see Bombardment St. Omer besieged by the Duke of Orleance p. 147 Surrendred p. ibid. Saverne besieged in vain by the Enemy p. 132 Savoy Victor Amadeus II. Duke of joins with the Allies p. 209 His Defeat see Battles Enters Dauphine p. 242 Enters Casal p. 265 Makes Peace with France p. 283 Besieges Valenza in the Milaneze p. ibid. Savoy Maria Adelaida Princess of Dutchess of Burgundy is conducted into Erance in order to her Marriage p. 284 Savoy Dukedom of Conquer'd by the King p. 224 Saxony Frederick Augustus Elector of Saxony proclaimed King of Poland by the Bishop of Cujavia p. 300 Saxony Duke of Saxe Eusenach Commander in Chief of some German Troops saves himself in one of the Islands of the Rhine p. 150 Desires a Pass-port for a safe Retreat ibid. Schomberg Marshal Duke of his Exploits p. 122 Relieves Mastrick p. 135 Is kill'd at the Battle of the Boyne p. 225 Sea-Fights p. 3 60 p. 95 110 p. 222 137 p. 220 Seq p. 232 seq Shel-stadt p. 107 Shenkenshantz Fort of p. 92 Sobieski John III. his Elevation to the Crown of Poland Relieves Vienna p. 295 Sobieski Prince James one of the Candidates for the Crown of Poland p. 296 Spain its Grandeur under Philip II. p. 31 Resigns the Precedency to France p. 137 Refuses to give Satisfaction about the just Pretensions of the Queen p. 65 Enters into all the Confederacy's made against France p. 107 Spires p. 204 Strasburgh submits to the King p. 107 Sweden's Mediation of the Peace p. 112 Has all the Places restored p. 159 Swiss refuse to enter into the Confederacy p. 208 T. Tellier Michael Chancellour of France p. 50 Tellier Michael Francis Marquiss of Louvois Minister and Secretary of State his Character p. 51 Thoulouse Lewis Alexander Count de Thoulouse wounded near the King at the Siege of Namur p. 236 Tournay surrended p. 65 Tourville Ann Hilarion de Constantine Count of Vice-Admiral and Marshal of France engages and beats the Confederate Fleets of England and Holland is worsted by them see Sea-Fights Takes and Burns eighty Merchant-Men of the Enemies p. 245 246 Treaties the Pyrenean Treaty p. 18 Of Pisa p. 45 Of Breda p. 60 At Cleves p. 59 At Aixe la Chapelle p. 68 Of Nimhegen p. 162 Of Peace with Savoy p. 283 Of Reswick p. 308 Treves seised upon by the King p. 107 Taken by the Allies p. 133 Taken by the French p. 204 Tripoli see Bombardment Tromp Admiral of Holland p. 122 Truce of twenty years p. 177 Turks routed by the French near St. Godard p. 57 Turenne Henry de la Tour de Auvergne Viscount de gains the Battle of St. Anthony See Battles Commands under the King in the year 1667 His Victories in Germany See Campaigns Is killed by a Cannon Shot Is magnificently buried at the King's Charge p. 131 V. Valence Siege of p. 283 Valenciennes taken by Assault p. 142 Vaudemont Prince of his Retreat p. 270 Vendosme Lewis Joseph Duke de signalizes himself at Steenkirk p. 239 Commands in Catalonia his Exploits p. 280 Defeats the Viceroy of Catalonia p. 303 Besieges and takes Barcelona p. 305 Varjus Count de Crecy see Plenipotentiaries Versailles
in a little while after he saw them marching with Drums beating and their Officers at the head of them towards the Palace which they invested on all sides putting Corps de Guards on all the Avenues leading to it and not contented with this they committed other most enormous outrages discharging their Fusees charg'd with Ball for an Hour together at the Gates and Windows of the Palace not sparing even the Ambassadour's Person who came out into a Balcony to see what passed among them He was no sooner oblig'd to retire from thence but they attack'd the Ambassadrice who being ignorant of what had passed near her Palace was returning home in her Coach She was in no small danger of having been assassinated by several Musquet Bullets that passed near her but she had the good Fortune to escape without any other hurt than what was occasioned by the fright one of her Pages being kill'd just by her Coach side and one of the Footmen sorely wounded At the same time the Shirri's who never make use of Fire-Armes followed closely the Footsteeps of the Soldiers knocking down all the French Men they met with in the Streets of Rome and in all likelihood this Tragedy would have ended in a General Massacre of the French if the People of Rome had not testified their aversion to such barbarous Actions and made loud exclamations against the Author as well as the Executioners of this bloody Tragedy If the Government had not been concerned in this Action of the Souldiery it had been but a piece both of Justice and Prudence to have given some publick and real Demonstrations of their dislike by inflicting a prompt and most rigorous punishment upon these Insolent Offenders but so far were they from calling them to a severe acceunt that they gave opportunity to the Ring-leaders and such others as were known to have been most concerned in the slaughter of the French to slip away eight or nine days being passed before they made an enquiry after those Assassins To heap injuries upon injuries the Cardinal Imperiale Governour of Rome some time after block'd up a fresh the Palace of Farnese under pretext that it had been taken notice of that the Ambassadour ever since the last affront was offer'd did appear abroad with a more numorous Attendance than he had been used to do before so that the Duke seeing himself treated with so much Indignity left Rome and retired to a place belonging to the Great Duke of Tuscany The News of a thing so exterordinary being communicated to most Courts of Europe there were very few who could perswade themselves that the Court of Rome could be so much overseen as to come to those extremities without great provocation given on the Ambassadour's side But all what could be laid to his Charge amounted to no more than that he had delay'd for some days to pay the first Visit to some of the Pope's Kindred who were not of the Ecclesiastical Order the Duke being willing to receive first the King's Instructions concerning a Punctilio which hitherto remained undecided For the rest they pretended to have great cause of complaint against the Duke who as they alledged peing of a haughty temper had dissuaded the King from allowing yearly pensions to these new Princes And this being questionless the main cause of their hatred was also the true occasion of the quarrel for it was easie to be perceived that upon all occasions they show'd much Indifferency not only to the Ambassadour but also to the French Nation in general which at last broke out into an open Enmity For considerable time there had scarce pass'd a day but some sparks of that devouring Fire which lay couch'd under the Ashes did appear which at last broke out in a Flame with the more noise and violence The Offence if any had been given was scarce worth taking notice of but supposing it had been much greater the Revenge appear'd so Cruel in the Eyes of all the World that notwithstanding all the endeavours used by the Pope to engage the Crown of Spain in the quarrel neither that King nor any other Prince shew'd the least Inclination to espouse it unless it were to dispose the Pope to give absolute satisfaction to the King Spain had indeed no reason to assist the Pope's Kindred it was rather for the Interest of that Crown to clip a little their Wings and to make them shew more respect to their more Potent Neighbours besides it concerned them very nearly to avoid all occasions of drawing the French Arms into Italy Another advantage which that Crown proposed to its self by abandoning the Pope's Interest at this time and consequently to put him under a necessity of giving due satisfaction to the King was that they did not question thereby to kindle an irreconcilable hatred betwixt them which being continued in the Family of the Chigi's would in all probability prove as mischievous to the French Interest as it would be profitable to them in the next Conclave It is true they could not but look with a jealous Eye upon the Glory which the King was likely to reap from the said satisfaction but considering on the other Hand that this augmentation of his Power would also serve for fuel to kindle jealousie in the rest of the Princes of Europe the Council of Spain judged it most for their Interest to stand Neuter and to endeavour by all means to perswade the Pope to put an end to the difference without coming to an open rupture But Pope Alexander VII was Deaf to their Counsels Before his Elevation to the Papal Dignity he had led a very Austere Life shewing not the least inclination for his Kindred or any other Worldly Pleasures for which reason he used always to have a Coffin set in his Bed-Chamber to put him in mind of Mortality but being by his Elevation arrived to the highest pitch of his hopes he appear'd quite different from what he had been before he affected an extraordinary magnificence of his Apparrel his Furnitures and Equipages were very sumptuous no body more nice and delicate in his Table than himself and he shew'd so much tenderness for his Kindred that he heap'd upon them prodigious Riches So true it is that when those who have led an Austere Life are once made sensible of the Pleasures and Vanities of the World they are sure to make themselves amends for what they have lost before The false Idea the Pope had conceived of his own Power and Strength the strong Inclination he had for his Family and the Antipathy he bore to France made him resolve at last either to refuse the demanded satisfaction to France or at least to put it off by various delays as long as possible could be done in hopes that by some favourable juncture or other the Face of Affairs might be changed in Europe It is unquestionable that the King had all the reason in the World to be dissatisfied with the Pope and
Occasions had given them such real Demonstrations of his Friendship that they might have expected any thing from him if by their Ingratitude they had not drawn his Anger upon them The Enterprize was doubtless very Glorious but withal very difficult they were well provided with Money they had a good Fleet at Sea and an Army on Foot their Frontiers were covered on all sides with Fortifications besides that they were encompass'd betwixt the three Rivers the Rhine the Meuse and the Yssel Notwithstanding all these Advantages the King was no sooner entred the Country but he Conquered three of their Provinces and in less than two Months time made himself Master of above forty of their best places A strange Catastrophe which ought to serve as a Lesson to the World that soon or late God punishes the Proud and Ungrateful and that it is his Pleasure to give us from time to time such remarkable Instances of the Frailty of all Humane Glory AN ESSAY UPON THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT LIB III. THE King having taken a firm Resolution to declare War against the Hollanders The Campaign in 1672. he ordered New Levies to be made in all Parts besides the Troops in his Garrisons which consisted of fourscore Thousand Men he had the like Number in the Field of his own Subjects twenty Thousand Swiss newly raised ten Thousand Italians six or seven thousand English and two Regiments of Swedes This formidable Army was commanded by the King in Person and under him by Lewis de Bourbon II. Prince of Conde and Henry de la Tour d' Auvergne Viscount of Turenne the two greatest Generals in Europe He had laid up vast Sums of Money for the Payment and Encouragement of his Soldiers who were for the most part inured to the Hardships of War and his Magazines were stored with every thing requisite for the Maintenance of so vast a Number But tho' it might be reasonably supposed that such extraordinary Warlike Preparations must needs strike Terrour into all the Neighbouring Princes their Eyes were so much dazzled with the imaginary Grandeur of the Hollanders and with their vast Riches that they imagined the King must have good Fortune if in the first Campaign he could take one or two of their Frontier places They were so strongly and generally prepossessed with this Opinion that they thought it time enough to talk of relieving the Hollanders and in the mean while to provide the best they could for their own Security But the more difficulty they had proposed in attacking this Commonwealth the more were they surprized a little after when they received the News of the most stupendious Success of his Arms. All the Low Countries were put into such a Consternation at the King's March that Boisleduc Husden and L' Illo tho' at a gâ—eat distance opened their Sluces But they might have saved themselves that trouble the Thunderbolt being not to strike on that side After he had provided all the small Places round about Mastrick with good Garrisons to block up that place he directed his March towards the Rhine where having divided his Forces into four several Bodies he ordered Orsoy Wesel Rhinberg and Burick to be Besieged all at a time They being all Frontier Places were very well fortified and provided with good Garrisons and all other Necessaries for their defence notwithstanding which they made but a feeble Resistance the King's Troops having forced them to a Surrender within four or five Days time Rhinberg which was Besieged by the King in Person surrendred without Discharging a Cannon The Duke of Orleans the King's Brother was forced to make use of his Artillery for a few Hours before Orsoy For which reason the King to terrifie the other Garrisons from being so presumptuous for the future as to refuse Surrendring at the first Summons order'd that both the Officers and Souldiers should be made Prisoners of War Burick was but one Days work for the Viscount of Turenne and Wesel surrendred at discretion to the Prince of Conde so soon as he had made himself Master of a certain Fort which commanded the place The unexpected Surrender of these four Towns struck such a terrour into the Garrison of Rees that they did not hold out above two Days tho it be undeniable that its Fortifications were at that time as compleat and regular as any in Europe Emmerick was as soon Surrendred as Besieged and Doctkum gave us no other trouble than to send thither a Brigade to take possession of it Five or six more lesser places opened their Gates at the approach of their Victorious Enemies without the least Formalities of a Capitulation All this being performed within the space of eight Days the King was for improving the Consternation of the People to his Advantage and for pushing on his Fortune with the utmost Vigour his first Resolution was to Besiege Nimeguen and at the same time to force the Prince of Orange in his Entrenchments This young Prince the only Off-spring and true Heir of all the vast Possessions and noble Qualifications of those great Men of the same Name his Ancestors who laid the first Foundation of this Commonwealth lay Intrench'd near the Banks of the Yssel with an Army of five and twenty Thousand Men but both these Designs being not to be put in Execution without the hazard of a great many Men and the loss of much time the King changed his Resolution and order'd his Army to march towards the Isle of Betaw with an intention to try whether thereabouts they might not find a convenient Passage over the Rhine The Waters of the Rhine were very low at that Season The King passes the Rhine 12. June by reason of the extream Heats and that there had not faln any Rains for a considerable time before so that as deep as it is at other times it seem'd then to be fordable in several places Two Gentlemen living thereabouts having shew'd the Ford to the Prince of Conde he ordered it immediately to be sounded which proved so shallow that Horse might pass without much danger they being to swim no further than about the length of an hundred Paces The King being extreamly rejoyced at this welcome News resolved not to stay for the perfecting of the Bridge of Boats and therefore without loosing any further time marches by Break of Day out of his Camp at the Head of his Gens d' Arms his Guards and Chevaux legers besides a Detachment of two Thousand Horse towards the Banks of the Rhine where he was to be met by the Prince of Conde It was observable that the King appear'd more brisk and resolute at that time than he had done for a great while before the Glorious Assurance that appear'd in his Countenance being a happy Presage of good Success to the Soldiery he no sooner order'd the Signal to be given but first a great number of Voluntiers the French Regiment of Curassiers and the Troops of
together by Interest The Hollanders offered to one of the Elector's Sons all the Dignities belonging to the Prince of Orange in Holland if that Family should happen to be extinct the Prince of Orange was of a weak Constitution and Unmarried at that time who exposed his Person unto the hazard of War upon a thousand occasions These glorious Hopes tho very remote a good Sum of ready Money and the Glory of being the first that had so much Courage as to oppose the Victorious Arms of our King and consequently to prove the Deliverer of so great and famous a Commonwealth all these Considerations I say joyn'd together induced the Elector to declare against France The number of his Forces was very considerable in comparison of ours at a time when the King having been obliged to disperse most of his Troops in his late Conquests which amounted to fifty or threescore strong places there was but a slender share left to keep the Field So soon as we received Intelligence that the Elector's Army was ready to march the Viscount de Turenne was ordered to march with all speed to meet him on the other side of the Rhing with his small Army consisting only of twelve Thousand Men the Elector's Army by several Reinforcements was near thirty five thousand But if the Elector was stronger in number of Men the Viscount was superiour in Officers and such as were all true Soldiers who being all chosen Men and flush'd with their late good Success did breath after nothing so much as fresh opportunity of acquiring new Glory No sooner had the Elector been advertised of our March but he first made a Halt and perceiving that the Viscount intended to expect his coming he retreated and repassed the River Weser if it was a Surprize to all the World to see the Elector fly from an Army much inferiour in number to his it was the more astonishing to see the French pursue him over the Weser with an incredible Swiftness to force all the Places that durst oppose them to ravage the flat Country and to take up their Winter-Quarters in his Territories In the mean while the Prince of Orange having got together an Army of near fourscore Thousand Men Siege of Charleroy was advanced towards Mastrick with an intention to free in some measure his own Country from the Burthen of the War by carrying it into another for which purpose after several Marches and Countermarches seeming to threaten sometimes Tongres sometimes Mastrick he at last Besieged Charleroy a place situate upon the Sambre and of no small consequence to us by reason of its most convenient situation to conduct our Convoys and Recruits into Holland The Spaniards tho they had very lately given the King fresh assurances of their sincere Intentions and that they desired nothing so much as to cultivate a good Understanding with him nevertheless had furnished ten Thousand Men for the better carrying on of this Enterprize The Place was at that time unprovided with a sufficient Garrison to make a vigorous Defence the Governour was absent and the French had no Army ready at hand to relieve it so that every thing seem'd to concur for the advantage of the Prince of Orange who it was believ'd would be Master of the place in eight Days But our King in the same moment he received the News of the Siege dispatch'd his Orders into Flanders to assemble his Troops with all possible speed he himself left Versailles in a few Days after to hasten their March and to put himself at the Head of them in order to relieve the Place The Rumour of the King's Departure being soon spread in the Enemies Camp Siege of Charleroy raised struck such a Terrour among them that without more ado they raised the Siege This was a killing stroak to the Elector of Brandenburgh who being in hopes that by so powerful a Diversion the face of Affairs would soon change for the better on his side and that the French would be obliged to recal their Troops out of his Territories in order to succour Charleroy but finding himself absolutely disappointed in his Expectation he took other Measures and sued for Peace The King to make him sensible of his Errour kept him in suspense for two or three Months in the mean while that his Troops consumed all what was left in the Countries of Marck and Ravensbergh This obliged the Elector to be more pressing than ever for a Peace which he at last obtain'd from the King who in consideration of his Submission granted him more than he could have expected to have got by the War and his own Courage For the King promised to restore to him within a certain time limitted all the Places belonging to him in the Dutchy of Cleves which was executed accordingly in the next following Year but the Treaty was but little observed on the Elector's side who was no sooner got into possession of these Places but took up Arms again and declared against France After the Conclusion of this Treaty the King having now laid aside his design of Conquering Holland nevertheless had taken a Resolution to make himself Master of Mastricht at the beginning of this Campaign knowing it to be one of the main Bull-works of the Dutch This City has been famous ever since the last Age when it was first surrounded with a good Fortification by the Duke of Alva afterwards taken by the Forces of the States and retaken by Storm by the Duke of Parma and in the Year 1632. once more taken by the Dutch after a Siege of two Months It s situation is one of the most convenient in the World being built on purpose to keep the whole Province of Brabant the Bishoprick of Liege the Country of Limburgh Cleves and Gueldres in awe which together with the Fertility of the adjacent Country Description of Mastricht its Traffick Number and Industry of the Inhabitants has made it at all times to be considered as the Key and Bullwork of all the circumjaceat Provinces which has been the reason the Dutch have not been sparing in any thing which might add to its strength It is situate upon the Meuse which separates it from the Suburbs called the Wick very well fortify'd and joyn'd to the City by a Stone-Bridge The Body of the Place to the Land-side is fortify'd with the finest and most regular Fortifications that are to be seen in all Flanders with Ravelins Demilines and many Hornworks all secured with deep Ditches Their Magazines were at that time well provided with all things necessary to sustain a Siege There was in the Place without counting the Inhabitants that were capable of bearing Arms a Garrison of six or seven thousand Men of their best Troops under the Command of an old Officer whose Name was Fariaux a Man no less Brave than expert in all Matters relating to the Defence of a Place of such importance and the States seem'd to be resolved to Sacrifice every
Capitulate After the taking of Besancon the King laid Siege to Dole the Fortifications of which place being not quite brought to perfection it did hold out not above nine Days Salins defended it self seven Days and the strong Castle of St. Anne which was hitherto esteemed inaccessible beat a Parly as soon as a Battery erected upon vast Wooden-Piles began to thunder against it Thus the King conquered the whole Franche Compte in four or five Weeks After the Conquest of this Province he divided his Army one part being sent into Germany to reinforce the Viscount of Turenne and the greatest part into Flanders to joyn the Army commanded by the Prince of Conde Then he returned into France to suppress by his Presence some Cabals which it was suspected had been set on foot by the Allies in some of the Maritime Provinces The Kingdom was at that time threatned on all sides it was in no small danger of being Invaded on the German side The Allies had three Armies in the Field in Flanders and Spain another in Catalonia and to make sure Work the Dutch threatned either to make a Descent upon us or at least to Bombard some of our Seaport-Towns But all these vast Designs vanished into Smoak for our Frontiers remained unattempted all this Campaign and the King had taken such sure Measures that the Allies had nothing else to boast of but of their own Disgrace having been defeated by the King's Troops much inferiour in number to theirs They were no less than threescore Thousand effective Men in Flanders all select and old well-disciplin'd Troops whereas the King's Army commanded by the Prince of Conde Battle of Seneff did consist only of forty Thousand Men. The Enemy advanced towards him but he was so advantageously posted that they did not judge it advisable to attack him thus failing in their aim they decamped The Germans cammanded by the General de Souches had the Van-guard the main Battle was made up out of the Dutch Forces under the Command of the Prince of Orange the Spaniards Commanded by the Count de Monterey Governour of the Spanish Netherlands had the Inner Guard being covered in their March by a Body of five Thousand Horse detach'd from the several Bodies of the three Nations The Prince of Conde who was advised that in their March they were obliged to pass several Lanes judged not without reason that as they pass'd through these Defiles they must march at such a distance as not to be able to second one another timely enough in case of an Attack Looking therefore upon it as a most favourable opportunity to fall in with them he was resolved not to let it slip out of his Hands Having therefore suffered the Imperialists and Hollanders to pass the Defiles unmolested he charged the Spaniards so furiously that he absolutely routed them taking many Standards and Colours and a great many Prisoners among whom were several of Quality This first Victory did not cost the King above an Hundred or an Hundred and fifty Men whereas the Enemy lost above three Thousand a happy Days Work if the Prince could have been contented with his good Success But having afterwards Attack'd the main Body and likewise brought them in Confusion matters seem'd to tend to a total Rout if the Imperialists had not found means to come to their relief The Flying Enemy having got leisure in the mean while to Rally and the three Generals to put their several Bodies in order of Battel upon an Eminency being cover'd with Bushes Hedges and Ditches and Cannon planted on all the Avenues the face of Affairs began to change and the Fight was renewed with more obstinacy and fury than before The Enemies were posted in such a manner that it was impossible to come to Handy Blows with them without sustaining the Fire of their whole Infantry but the greater the Danger the greater the Honour all this it seems was not sufficient to startle the Invincible Courage of the Prince of Conde nor to terrifie his Soldiers flush'd with Success but being resolved to compleat this Days Work by a third Victory they fell on with incredible Bravery As Despair is the most powerful Motive to inspire Courage even in the Faint-hearted so the Enemy defended themselves with great Obstinacy the Engagement lasted from Noon till Night and the Slaughter did not cease on both sides till Moon-light about Ten or Eleven a Clock at Night The Enemy took few of ours Prisoners and among them scarce any Body of note but we lost abundance of brave Men and Officers seven or eight Standards and had about five or six Thousand killed and wounded The loss of the Enemy amounted to above seven or eight Thousand we took near five Thousand Prisoners among whom were four Princes of the Empire a great number of other Persons of Quality many of their Colonels and two Hundred Officers an Hundred and seven Standards and Colours three Field-pieces two Mortars several Kettle-Drums Pontons three Thousand Waggons with all their Ammunition and three hundred Thousand Crowns in ready Money design'd for the Payment of their Armies About a Month after Siege of Oudenarde they laid Siege to Oudenarde but no sooner had they got notice that the Prince of Conde was marching to its relief but they quitted the Siege with so much Precipitation that they left behind them in their Trenches part of their Baggage and Ammunition besides most of their Utensils used in carrying on of the Trenches Another Army composed of the Dutch Forces Siege of Grave and joyn'd by some Brandenburgh Troops were for two Months together busied in the Siege of Grave The City of Grave is considerable for its strength and was at that time very well provided with Ammunition a good Artillery and a numerous Garrison but the Besiegers being surrounded on all sides by their own Country had great plenty of every thing in their Camp and the place being but small there was little appearance it should hold out long the Place being given over for lost by the French without the least hopes of being able to relieve it The Dutch had made many Attacks upon their out-works but with so little success that they were repulsed without being able to maintain themselves in any of these Posts The Besieged made continual Sallies nail'd up their Cannon fill'd up their Trenches kill'd abundance of their Men and carried a great many Prisoners into the Town Their bravery and resolution in undergoing with undaunted constancy all the Fatigues of War the continual thundring of their Cannon and their frequent Mines which for the most part did great execution had struck such a terror among the Besiegers that they Deserted by whole Troops and got into the Town To revive in some measure the drooping Courage of the rest the Prince of Orange marched to their assistance with a Body of ten thousand fresh Men who being also repulsed in several Attacks it was the general Opinion that
the Reduction of the Place The King endeavoured by all means possible to bring them to a Battle but they were as careful to avoid it not having made the least motion but remaining in their advantageous Station for two Months together whilst the King remain'd on the Frontiers But no sooner had the King left the Army Siege of Mastrich and was returning into France when the Prince of Orange with the Dutch Army in conjunction with the Spaniards and some Auxiliary Troops of several German Princes who commanded their Forces in Person laid Siege to the strong City of Mastricht The King being sufficiently assured that the present condition of the Place provided with all Necessaries for a vigorous defence together with the Bravery of the Garrison and the invincible Courage and Experience of the Deputy Governour the Count de Calva a Catalonian by Birth who commanded in the Governour 's Absence would keep the Enemy in play for some time before they should stand in need of any relief took the advantage of this opportunity and whilst the Enemy was busied in that Siege he ordred the Marshal de Humiers to sit down before Aire one of the strongest and most considerable of that Country situate on the Frontiers of the Province of Artois The Marshal having made himself Master of it in five Days he attack'd the strong Fort of Linck which being soon forced to follow the Example of Aire the whole French Army by easie Marches moved under the Command of the Marshal Duke Frederick of Schomberg towards Mastricht The Besiegers had been employed in the Siege for near seven Weeks without having been able to make themselves Masters of the Counterscarp or any Out-works they had made many and very furious Attacks but had been always repulsed with great loss and their Army being by the many Sallies and Mines of the Besieged as well as by Mortality reduc'd to one half of what it was at the beginning of the Siege they judged it most advisable to decamp Siege of Mastricht raised Aug. 26. and to quit the Siege so soon as they saw the French Army approach towards their Lines they retreated with so much Precipitation that they left behind them fifty pieces of great Cannon for Battery six Thousand Musquets all their Provision and Ammunition with a great number of sick and wounded Soldiers The-Fleet which the States-General had sent into the Mediterranean Victories obtained in Sicily to endeavour the Recovery of Messina which City two Years before had shaken off the Spanish Yoak more out of a hatred of the Spaniards than a real love of Liberty had no better success than the rest It is certain that France had not been in the least concerned in this Rebellion but the King being two wise not to lay hold of so favourable a juncture and to improve it to his own advantage he sent them some Supplies which at first were but inconsiderable but were by degrees strengthened by several Reinforcements Lewis Vivone Spaniards beaten at Sea Duke Peer and Marshal of France beat the Spanish Fleet that block'd up the Harbour of Messina and brought a good supply of Provision and Ammunition into the Place on the 11th of April in the Year 1675. and in the same Summer in the Month of August made himself Master of Agousta a Port of no less consequence and conveniency than the former The Spaniards being put under no small apprehension of losing the whole Island of Sicily solicited the Hollanders to send a Fleet to their assistance into the Mediterranean and at the same time obtained from the States that the said Fleet should be commanded by Admiral Ruyter the most famous Commander at Sea at that time in all Europe Our King gave the Command of his Fleet to another brave Seaman who tho less famous yet was not inferiour to the other in Skill and Experience in Maritime Affairs This was one called Duquesne born at Diepe who from a simple Seamen as well as Admiral Ruyter had raised himself to the Supream Command of a Fleet. Both Fleets joyn'd in Battle in January in the Year 1676. The Engagement was so terrible and furious that according to the Letter written by Admiral Ruyter himself he never faw any thing like it in all his Life before But Duquesne forced the Hollanders to retreat and to leave a free Passage for his Ships into the Port of Messina which he entred in Triumph with his whole Squadron and the Convoy In the April next following the Dutch in conjunction with the Spaniards having attack'd the Port of Agousta Duquesne forced them to quit the Enterprize This Engagement was very bloody Admiâ—al Ruyter killed Ruyter himself received three Wounds one in the Head another in the Thigh and the third in the Foot of which he died in ten Days after The Enemies being put into a great Consternation by the loss of their Admiral durst not appear any longer at Sea but retired to Palermo to refit and to expect a fresh Reinforcemont But the Marshal and Duke de Vivone resolving to give them a Visit before they could be reinforced with fresh Supplies set Sail with his Squadron towards Palermo where he arrived on the second of January following he found them riding at Anchor at the very entrance of the Port in very good order but no sooner had he sent some Fire-Ships among them which set two or three of their Ships on Fire but the rest either ran a-shoar sunk themselves or blew up in the Air some few getting into the Port. The Ennemies lost twelve of their best Ships in this occasion The Dutch Fleet burnt in the Port of Palermo six Gallies with seven hundred pieces of Cannon and above five thousand Men. The Houses odjoyning to the Port and the whole lower Town were much endamaged by the pieces of Iron Bars and the broken Cannon and Ships which by the force of the Powder were thrown into the place and crush'd all to pieces where-ever they happen'd to fall The Marshal having obtain'd this Victory which was one of the most compleat that had been obtain'd for many Years before without any considerable loss on his side made all Italy tremble especially when they saw the French within two Months after Masters of Taormine of Sealette of St. Placida and many other small places along the Sicilian Coast The Confederates took in the Month of September the strong Fortress of Philipsburgh Philipsburgh taken by the Allies which after a whole Years Blockade and a Siege of three Months had been forc'd to Capitulate but the taking of this Place was look'd upon as a slender equivalent to counterbalance the losses the Allies had sustain'd this Campaign in other places It must be confess'd that Philipsbourg is a Place of great consequence both in respect of its Fortifications and Situation as being the inlet into Alsace and a Bridle to the Palatinate but it ought also to be consider'd that this long
against the King's Forces who were not above nine or ten thousand strong This seem'd to be a very slender Force and little suitable to the greatness of the Enterprise but the King by his Presence Vigilancy and Example did animate his Soldiers to that degree that redoubling their Courage and Activity they in spite of the continual Fire and frequent Sallies of the Besieged carried all the Out-Works in nine or ten Days time Our Cannon having soon after made a Breach in one of the Bastions of the Place large enough for thirty Men to mount a-Breast the Governour despairing of being able to hold out the Assault demanded a Capitulation It would have been no difficult matter for the King to have oblig'd him to surrender at discretion but being free to shew Mercy to one that had behav'd himself so Gallantly The Citadel of Cambray surrender'd he agreed to certain Articles to serve him as a comfort in his present affliction pursuant to which the Garrison marched out at the Breach with Drums beating Colours Flying and two pieces of Cannon The Conquest of these three important places and the Battle of Cassel put the Affairs of the Confederacy into such a confusision that it was a considerable time before they could recollect themselves For it was not till three Months after that they held a Congress at Wesel to deliberate concerning some Enterprize of moment by which they might in some measure recover their former Reputation and Hopes The Elector of Brandenburgh the Duke of Nieuburgh who had lately declared against France the Ambassador of the King of Denmark the Pensionary of Holland Admiral Trump and the Envoys of the King of Spain and several other Electors were present at this Conference where the Siege of Charleroy was resolved upon and the execution thereof committed to the Management of the Prince of Orange No sooner was the Place invested with threescore thousand Men but the King's Army posted themselves betwixt the Enemy and those Cities of Flanders from whence they must draw their Provisions so that their Convoys being intercepted they were in a manner block'd up and began to want Provisions in two Days time There was no other remedy left than either to fight us or to quit the Siege but the Confederates not judging it for their purpose to hazard a second Battle they decamped not without some Confusion before eight Days were expired laying the fault upon one another and consuming what Forage they could meet with in the Country without shewing any great inclination to oppose the King's Forces who ravaged the Country and exacted great Contributions The King's Arms were attended with the same success in other parts Victory in Catalonia Philip de Montaut Duke de Nouailles had ravaged the whole Lampourdan and defeated ten Thousand Spaniards as they were repassing the Pyrenean Mountains there were three Thousand five Hundred of the Enemies killed upon the place and eight Hundred made Prisoners with the loss of only two Hundred Men on our side In Germany the Troops of the neighbouring Circles commanded by a Duke of Saxony In Germany had been worsted in several Encounters and were at last forced to seek for shelter in one of the Islands of the Rhine But what they intended for their Preservation had very near proved their total Destruction being in eminent danger of perishing either by Famine or the Enemies Sword if upon the intercession of the Magistrate of Strasburgh the King had not granted them a Passport to retreat from thence in security under condition that they should not bear Arms against the King the same Campaign The Passport being signed by the Marshal de Crequy who commanded at that time on the Rhine the abovementioned Forces with their Saxon General were marching homeward being conducted by a strong Guard their main security against their Enemies when Prince Charles of Lorrain came in timely to their Assistance to deliver them from so ignominious a Retreat But it was not long before he paid dearly for the Glory of having rescued the Germans for within few Days after the Cavalry of his Right Wing was totally routed and cut to pieces This Prince was Heir and Nephew to the old Duke of Lorrain who died in the Year 1675. After his Death the Emperour to bring him over to his Interest made him General over his Army on the Rhine promising to give to him in Marriage his Sister the Queen Dowager of Poland and to make use of all his Power and Interest to put him into the Possession of Lorrain which belonged to him by right of Succession His projected design succeeded but ill in the Year 1676. But at the beginning of the Campaign in the Year 1677 he thought himself so sure that he puts this Motto upon his Standards Maintenant ou jamais that is Now or Never Full of these fair hopes he passed the Saar and advanced as far as Mouson but the Marshal de Crequy followed him so closely upon the Heels that he scarce ever miss'd any opportunity to intercept his Convoys and thereby to cut off his necessary Supplies of Provisions he kept his Army in continual Alarm and by his Marches and Counter-marches harrass'd them to that degree that he broke all the Duke's Measures who was at last forced to repass the Rhine without having been able to do any thing of moment all that Campaign The Germans had no sooner repass'd the Rhine Friburgh taken but the Marshal de Crequy invested Friburgh the Capital City of Brisgau This City is of a considerable bigness and its Citadel very strong both by its Situation and several good Works notwithstanding which the Marshal attack'd it so briskly that he became Master of it in less than eight Days time before Prince Charles of Lorrain could come to its relief About a Month after St. Gillian besieged and taken the King caused St. Gillian to be Besieged this Place is situate in the midst of the Province of Heinault of very good strength and well provided with every thing necessary for its defence The Soldiers were not only to fight against the Enemy but also against the cold Season it being in the Month of December notwithstanding all these Difficulties they carried the place in nine Days a convincing Instance that the King's Troops were used to outbrave all the Rigours of the Season These frequent Losses and continual Disappointments made the People of Holland wish as much for a Peace as the Prince of Orange had reason to oppose it For it being the Interest of that Prince to keep in his Hands as long as possibly he could that great power wherewith he was invested as long as he was supream Commander both over their Sea and Land Forces he left no Stone unturn'd to prevent the States from making either a general or particular Peace with France But this small and troublesome War which had already lasted four Years having exhausted all the Parties concerned both of Men
enough forasmuch as thereby the limits of the Empire and France might be settl'd upon a sure Foot and a firm Peace establish'd betwixt these two Potent Neighbours The Electoral College were of opinion to accept of the Conditions but most of the Princes being of a contrary sentiment two years past without coming to a final Resolution the King having from time to time prolong'd the prefix'd time out of a pure motive to generosity finding in most of the Members of the Dyet a favourable Disposition for a Peace at a time when they dreaded an Invasion from the Turks It was not long before the Ottoman Army like an impetuous Torrent over-run all Hungary and carrying all before them marched up to the Gates of Vienna which was Besieged by above an hundred thousand Turks Siege of Vienna in 1683. The Siege continued two Months and the place was reduc'd to the last extremity when upon the approach of the Imperial Army and the Auxiliaries of the Empire in conjunction with the Poles commanded by John Sobieski their King who with great Bravery attacked the Enemy in their Lines The Visier was forc'd to raise the Siege The Ministers of the House of Austria puff'd up with their late good success press'd the Dyet more than ever not to conclude either a Peace or Truce with France But as such vast Empires have many ways to recover their losses the Turks notwithstanding their late defeat appear'd again so formidable that the Emperor and Empire the better to enable themselves to resist them or to extend their Conquests accepted of the King's offers and about ten Months after concluded and Sign'd a Truce betwixt the Empire and France for twenty Years Spain also agreed to a Truce upon the same conditions Truee for twenty Years to put an end to the differences for that time arisen betwixt the King and them about the limits in Flanders After the Ratification of the Treaty of Nimeguen the King made reiterated instances to the Spaniards to send certain Commissioners to adjust matters concerning the Dependencies of such Provinces and Cities as were granted to him by vertue of the late Peace But the opening of these Conferences was delay'd for some time till the King of Spain had sent his full Power and Instructions which when they were produc'd it was found that amongst his Titles that of Count and Duke of Burgundy was left out The next Year the Commissioners appointed by both Kings met again at Courtray but the Ministers of Spain intended nothing less than to terminate these differences but in lieu of it left no Stone unturn'd to create new Jealousies as much as in them lay betwixt our King and the Hollanders The City of Alost furnish'd them with a fair opportunity to accomplish their design which place being accounted to be among the dependencies belonging to France the States-General began to be extreamly allarm'd at this Pretension They alledg'd they had in vain bestow'd so much labour and cost to fix a certain Barrier betwixt the King and them if this place so near to their Frontiers whose Territories reach'd to the Gates of Antwerp should be put into his possession The King to calm their minds and deliver them from what they dreaded so much offer'd to be contented with an equivalent and the Council of Spain endeavouring to gain time by various Intrigues he order'd the Bloccade of Luxemburgh but having receiv'd intelligence of the great Preparations made by the Turks to invade Hungary he sent his Orders to him who commanded in Chief to raise the said Blocade Spain was so far from being satisfied with this retreat Courtray and Dixmuyden taken that in a little while after they began to commit open Hostilties Whereupon the French besieg'd Courtray in November in the Year 1683 both the City and Citadel Surrender'd in five Days Dixmuyden without striking one stroke The Spaniards tho' without Money or Troops or any other hopes of relief but what they expected from their Allies whom they suppos'd would not leave them destitute upon so necessitous an occasion declar'd in a Month after War against France But it was not long before they paid dear for their folly the King's Troops having over-run during the whole Winter all Flanders to the very Gates of Brussels pillaging and exacting Contributions from the flat Country and towards the end of April in the Year 1684 a strong Body was sent to form the Siege of Luxemburgh This Place is very strong both by Nature and Art it being situate upon a Rock Luxemburgh taken 1684. surrounded on all sides by a River The King order'd a good Army to advance betwixt Conde and Valenciennes to cover the Siege The Emperor was not wanting in his sollicitations to the Dyet and the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands as well as the Prince of Orange made use of all their Interest to engage the Hollanders to endeavour the relief of a Place which was of such consequence But all in vain for no succours appearing the Place was forc'd to Surrender after a brave defence of seven and twenty Days after opening the Trenches This done the King offer'd to restore Dixmuyden and Courtray and to renounce all his pretensions provided the Spaniards would put him in quiet possession of Beaumont Bovines and Chimay three small places without any strength betwixt the Sambre and the Meuse and would resign all their pretensions to Luxemburgh which was to be the King 's for ever with the fifteen Villages belonging to it The Spaniards refus'd at first to hearken to these Propositions but the Dutch who made serious Reflections upon the present condition of the Empire the heavy War wherein the Emperor was engag'd with the Turks and the little hopes there was of receiving aid from England partly by reason of the misunderstanding that was at that time betwixt King Charles II. and his Parliament partly because they were too well acquainted with the Inclinations of that King who prefer'd Peace and his Pleasures before a War oblig'd them to accept of these conditions Thus in the Year 1684 a general Truce was concluded for twenty Years the Emperor Spain and the Empire having Sign'd the Treaty within four days one after another But in the mean while that our King was applying his thoughts to re-establish Peace in Christendom with good success Differences with the Pope the differences arisen betwixt our Court and that of Rome encreased more and more every Day the Pope being so far from hearkning to those gentle means that were propos'd for an accommodation that on the contrary his whole behaviour sufficiently testify'd to the World that he was resolv'd to carry things to the utmost extremity The occasion of the Quarrel was given by the Regale which is a certain prerogative belonging to the Sovereign by vertue of which they enjoy the benefit of the Revenues of the Bishopricks and the right of bestowing all Dignities and Prebends during the vacancies of the Episcopal
which the Allies propos'd to make upon France and to make a better Figure in Europe than he had done hitherto all these fair pretensions I say were motives strong enough to induce that Duke to refuse all the King's offers of a Neutrality The Duke of Savoy enters into the Confederacy and to joyn with the Confederates against us The War in Piedmont is always extreamly chargeable to France all the Cannon Ammunition and Provisions must be carried upon Mules thro' impassable Roads and out Troops could not but suffer great inconveniencies in passing and re-passing these inaccessible Mountains so that nothing could be more advantageously contriv'd for the Interest of the Confederates than to oblige our King to carry on a War on that side where besides all the before-mention'd inconveniencies our Frontiers lay expos'd to our Enemies it having been always the Interest of Savoy to keep a good correspondence with France and the strict Alliances betwixt these two Courts the King's reputation and strength having been look'd upon as a sufficient safe-guard and Bullwark for the security of our Frontiers in those parts It was upon this account that the Allies flatter'd themselves with the hopes of making a powerful irruption upon us and to penetrate into the very heart of the Kingdom on this side where it was least defensible but tho' they promis'd themselves no small advantages from this diversion the main foundation of their hopes was laid on the expected change of affairs in England which prov'd to their satisfaction at a time when it was not so much as dream'd of by us There seems to be a great sympathy betwixt the Climate and the humour of the English Nation the Government being subject to as many Revolutions as the weather is changeable in that Island which tho' very frequent here yet are nothing the less surprising in their events The great diversity of Religions which has been introduc'd since the time of their separation from the ancient Church is an inexhaustible scource of the many intestine troubles and divisions which at several times have brought this Monarchy to the very brink of ruin James II. when Duke of York Revolution in England 1688. was upon the point of having been excluded from the succession of the Crown by one of the Houses of Parliament notwithstanding which he mounted the Throne after the Death of his Brother with the general Acclamation of the People at a time when he made publick profession of the Roman Religion This Noble confidence of not dissembling his Religion stood him in no small stead with the English who look'd upon this his greatness of mind as a pledge of their future safety and that his Word would at all times stand inviolable to protect their Laws and Liberties But it was not long before they chang'd their sentiments the whole Nation being alarm'd at the Zeal they observ'd in him of advancing the Roman Catholicks which was improv'd to the King's disadvantage by a contrary Faction who nois'd it about in the ears of the People that his main design was to overturn their Laws and to establish upon their ruins an Arbitrary power The whole Kingdom being put into confusion and fears they began to enter into an Association headed by the Chief Men among the Commons and most of the Nobility who under hand treated with Holland and obtain'd powerful succours with so much secresy that there was not the least thing discover'd of it till a few Months before the arrival of the Prince of Orange at the head of an Army in England The train was so well laid and the whole matter so well tim'd that when the Prince of Orange landed in Torbay with twenty thousand Men both the Nobility and Gentry flock'd to him in great numbers all the Cities open'd their Gates both the Fleet and Army declar'd for him and abandon'd their King's Interest that to save his Life or at least to preserve his Liberty he was oblig'd to fly and seek for refuge in France A most notable instance of the instability of all human greatness If this Prince had accepted of our King's offers Things would in all probability never have been brought to that extremity for no sooner had his most Christian Majesty been advertis'd of what was in agitation in Holland but he sent word to the King of England that he would either send a French Army to his assistance or else by giving a powerful diversion to the Dutch prevent their design against him But the King of England who flatter'd himself with these hopes that the Prince of Orange being his Nephew and Son-in-Law would scarce be prevail'd upon to head a Faction against him and that if he should have any such intention his Fleet and Army were a sufficient guard to him against any attempts of the Dutch was not till it was too late convinc'd of his mistake For no sooner had the Prince of Orange set Foot upon the English shoar but he found the whole Nation ready to receive him and every thing was thus dispos'd that after the departure of the King of England the English Nation shew'd more forwardness in advancing him to the Throne than he did in all outward appearances in accepting of it For at the first meeting of the States of the Kingdom the Throne of England being declar'd vacant the Prince of Orange was Proclaim'd Crown'd K. Will. III. acknowledg'd King of England and acknowledg'd as Lawful King of England not only by the English Nation and all the Protestant Princes but also by the Emperor Spain by the Electors of Germany an all the other Catholick Princes in general that were enter'd into the Confederacy It having been always look'd upon as a thing past all dispute among the Confederates that the power of England if joyn'd with the Confederacy would over-balance or at least equalize that of France they now believ'd themselves to be arriv'd at the highest pitch of their prosperity for which reason they boasted in all places that France would fcarce be able to hold out two or three Campaigns after the Prince of Orange King William III. should have joyn'd the Forces of three Kingdoms with the Confederate Armies There were some who were foolish enough to imagine and to represent the Kingdom of France as reduc'd to the very brink of destruction block'd up both by Sea and Land scarce able to withstand five or six Armies that were to attack it on all sides at a time but these unexperienc'd Politicians were soon after convinc'd that they had triumph'd before the Victory was obtain'd These vast preparations made by the Allies against France rather serv'd to augment than diminish the Glory of our King who in nine Years time gain'd several Battels and took many of their best Towns some of which they have been forc'd to re-gain with incredible charges and greatloss of their best Men. However Campain in 1689. the Revolution in England was so considerable an addition to
the reputation and strength of the whole Confederacy that the same appear'd terrible in the Eyes of all the World except to our King who was so far from being terrify'd by this unhappy conjuncture that by his indefatigable care and activity he surmounted all these difficulties which afterwards serv'd only as an Augmentation of his Glory He receiv'd the King of England with all the imaginable testimonies of generosity and demonstrations of honour and respect alloting both to the King and the Queen his Spouse a sufficient allowance to keep a most magnificent Court and shewing a great readiness upon all occasions to satisfie them in any thing they could desire and to find out means to afford tâ—em seasonable comfort in their affliction A great part of the Kingdom of Ireland remaining as yet stedfast in the Interest of their King our King without any delay French Forces sent into Ireland sent thither a good number of Troops in the Year 1689 with a sufficient quantity of Arms Ammunition and other necessaries The King of England having put himself at the head of these Troops in conjunction with the Irish Forces that had taken up Arms for him he advanc'd against the Enemy with indifferent success there happening nothing of moment all that Campaign as there was no great action in other parts the Prince of Orange King William III. judging it more for his advantage at that time to establish himself in England by his Presence and our King having taken a resolution to be upon the defensive this Campaign the better to enable himself to send more powerful Supplies into Ireland and to try whether perhaps by some means or other the Confederacy would not dissolve it self against the next Campaign It is easie to be imagin'd that among Princes of so many different Inclinations and Interests the War is generally not carry'd on with the same Vigour as it is undertaken there being frequent Examples that the strictest Alliances have been broken with as much ease as they were made For near the Alps there scarce appear'd any Armies in the Field The Duke of Noailles took Campredon in Catalonia which was demolish'd quickly after The Armies in Flanders did nothing but look upon one another there having been scarce any Action there abouts all that Summer but the Assault made upon Wall-Court This being a place of small defence the Marshal d'Humiers thought to have carri'd it by Storm without making a Breach but the Euemies who were retir'd before the Marshal having posted themselves upon some eminencies behind the Town so as to keep a communication with one of the Gates they sent from time to time as many fresh Forces as were requisite to defend the Place so that the Marshal was repuls'd with the loss of five hundred Men killed and wounded among whom were thirty or forty Officers and many brave Volunteers who paid with their lives for the mistake of the Marshal who had been misguided by his Spies The Allies Forces near the Rhine consisted of threescore and ten thousand Men divided into three several Bodies under the Command of Prince Charles of Lorrain and the Electors of Bavaria Saxony and Brandenburgh To prevent the Enemies taking up Winter-Quarters too near our Frontiers we were oblig'd to ravage all the Country of Wirtemberg and the whole Palatinate and to lay all desolate as far as Strasburgh The Cities of Spires and Worms were laid in ashes and all the other Places thereabouts of which we had taken possession the Year before were demolish'd except Mayence Bonn Philipsburgh and Keyserwaerth the last of which being a small Town of little strength upon the Rhine was by Frederic II. Elector of Brandenburgh Son to the Famous Frederic William who died in May in the Year 1688 taken in four or five Days The City of Mayence was Besieg'd by the Imperialists Siege of Mayence under the Command of Prince Charles of Lorrain the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony who joyn'd their Forces with the others This Place was the Year before when the Elector of the same name receiv'd a French Garrison into the Town so inconsiderable in its Fortifications that tho' a great number of Workmen were employ'd all the Winter long to put them in a state of defence they could scarce bring the Out-works to perfection It s chiefest strength at that time consisted in a good Garrison of nine or ten thousand Men all resolute brave fellows who unanimously resolv'd to hold it out to the last extremity If it was Attack'd with all imaginable Vigour there has not been a Place in the memory of Men defended with more bravery In forty eight days after opening of the Trenches the Besiegers had only made one Lodgment upon the utmost point of the Counterscarp The Besieg'd made frequent Sallies at Noon-day with their Colours flying and Drums beating sometimes three or four times in one Day within two hours of one another They marched out sometimes with a Body of two or three thousand Men in order of Battel engag'd the Enemy cut in pieces those that guarded the Trenches nail'd up their Cannons fill'd up their Works and once drove the Enemies back at such a distance from the Place that their main Horse-guard took Post at the very Head of their Trenches The Confederates having often felt the effects of the desperate resolution of the Besieg'd resolv'd to Attack and carry the Counterscarp let it cost what it would Pursuant to this resolution all their Batteries play'd most furiously by break of Day and thus continu'd till by the throwing of certain Bombs the Signal was given for the Assault In a few moments you might have seen the Ground cover'd with dead Carcasses the Cannon of the Besieg'd their Hand-Grenadoes and Bombs their Fire-Arms but especially their Swords made such havock among the Enemy as is rather to be conceiv'd than to be express'd The Assault lasted five Hours when the Besieg'dbeing at last over-power'd by the great number of their Enemies who without intermission seconded their Men with fresh Troops were forc'd to give way and to leave them Masters of the Counterscarp but with the loss of four thousand Men on the Confederate side The Besieg'd having besides this lost during the Assault all their Ammunition by a Bomb which blew up their Magazin they offer'd to try the next Day to regain the Counterscarp with their Swords in Hand but the Marquis d'Uxelles their Governor being unwilling to Sacrifice so many brave Fellows in the attempt beat a Parley and the Allies being not backward in granting him very Honourable Conditions the Garrison march'd out of the Place with their Colours flying and six pieces of Cannon Whilst they were busied in the Siege of Mayence the Elector of Brandenburgh Siege of Bonn. who commanded a separate Body Invested Bonn. The Place was batter'd for two Months together with an Artillery of an hundred pieces of Cannon and most of their Houses and some of their Out-Works were laid
Town provided with good Out-Works having three several Ditches which are always full of Water by means of some Sluyces built for that purpose There was within the Place a very good Artillery the Inhabitants were train'd up in all sorts of Military Exercises and the Garrison consisted of five or six thousand Men all well disciplin'd Troops But the time of the Winter-Quarters being not expir'd most of the Officers were absent from their Commands and the Lines of circumvallation were so well guarded that notwithstanding all their endeavours not one of them got into the place The Lines being brought to perfection the Cannon began to play from the Batteries with incredible fury one battery seconding the other without intermission and with so much dispatch that by the confession of the most expert Engineers never any Artillery did greater execution Siege of Mons. Four and twenty Mortars and sixty pieces of great Cannon were continually employ'd against the Place there was above a million of Powder laid up in the Camp for the supply of them so that where-ever you turn'd your Eyes you saw nothing but Bombs and hot Bullets flying in the Air which set the whole City on Fire so that you might behold the Flames rise beyond the tops of the highest Steeples The King was Day and Night in motion there passed not a Day but that he visited the Trenches once or twice encouraging by his presence every one in his station to do his Duty with such success that both the Officers and Soldiers shewed so much eagerness in out-braving one another that the King to moderate their heat saw himself oblig'd to forbid them not to work uncover'd and to carry their Fascins as they did frequently at Noon day in spite of the continual fire of the Garrison to the Trenches for they seem'd to have put their chief hopes in their Artillery they having not made one Salley during the whole Siege The only place which was defended with much gallantry was a Horn-Work which the French making their way thro' the Granadoes and Carcasses of the Enemy which fell as thick as Hall among them carried with Sword in Hand The Citizens of Mons were all along in hopes that the Prince of Orange King William III. would come to their relief and in effect he march'd with an Army of forty thousand Men as far as Hall within six Leagues of Mons but finding himself not strong enough to Attack our King he remain'd in thar post till after the Surrender of the Place which finding it self not in a condition to sustain a General Assault came to a Capitulation after a Siege of sixteen Days After the taking of Mons the Troops on both sides return'd to their Winter-Quarters and the following Campaign was spent in marches and counter marches without any remarkable Action The Confederates had boasted ever since the beginning of this Summer that they would Besiege some Place or other in Flanders they Attack'd Beaumont a small Place without defence the Garrison consisting only of one hundred and fifty Men. This done the Prince of Orange King William III. leaving the Army in Flanders to the Conduct of his General Officers went to the Hague in order to his return into England but at the same time that he imagin'd the Campaign to be over he receiv'd the unwelcome News of the defeat of his Cavalry The Marshal of Luxemburgh had so narrowly observ'd the motions of the Confederate Army for some time Engagement near Leuze that on the eighteenth of September he found an opportunity to fall in their Rear He advanc'd with eighteen Squadrons at the head of whom were the Troops of the King's Houshold towards the Enemy who with threescore and fifteen Squadrons posted in three Lines covered with a deep Ditch and a Rivulet on each side received us very briskly But the Troops of the King's Houshold advancing without fireing receiv'd the Enemies first discharge at twelve paces distant when breaking in upon them only with Swords in Hand they attacked them so furiously that the first Squadrons were immediately brought into confusion after they had returned four several times to the Charge The Enemies loss amounted to fifteen hundred besides which we took three hundred Prisoners and forty Standards Their whole Cavalry was engaged in this Action except five or six Squadrons which being posted too near their Infantry we durst not attack them This brave Action was perform'd only with the loss of four hundred Men killed and wounded on our side In all other places the King's Arms were Crown'd with the same success The Duke of Noailles had Conquer'd the whole County of Sardagne The Marshal de Lorges had ravag'd the German Territories and had by continual marches so harassed the Confederate Army on that side commanded by the Duke of Saxony that without striking one stroke they were ruined for want of Forage and Provisions The Marshal de Catinat I call him so at present tho' he was not invested with that Dignity till two Years after had since the Month of March taken Villa Franca in less than fifteen Hours the Town and Castle of Nice in five Days after opening of the Trenches Villa Franca is a very good Port and the only one in Piedmont The Castle of Nice is one of the strongest in Europe built upon a Rock surrounded on all sides with precipices But both their Magazins being blown up with Bombs and five hundred of their Men kill'd the Governor was forc'd to Capitulate After the taking of Nice Carmagnole and Veillane surrender'd at the first Summons Coni was likewise besieg'd to open our way to Turin but he that commanded in Chief being terrified raised the Siege with much precipitation before he could be reinforc'd with necessary Supplies But the Duke of Savoy had no better success before Suza for tho' he receiv'd a considerable reinforcement of Brandenburghers yet he was forc'd to quit the Enterprise at the approach of our Army The Marshal de Catinat to put a glorious end to this Fortunate Campaign and to make himself Master of the Chief and only remaining Key both of Savoy and Piedmont besieged Montmelian about the middle of November This so famous Fortress defended it self very courageously but the French in spite of the bravery of their Enemies and the rigour and inconveniencies of a far advanced Season forc'd the Garrison to a surrender after a Months Siege All these most glorious Conquests were look'd upon as inconsiderable in respect of the hopes we had conceiv'd of the restauration of the King of England Gampaign in 1692. But we found our selves frustrated in our expectation The hour of this Prince was as it seems not yet come and all the efforts made on our side in order to assist him in his design serv'd for nothing else but to give us new proofs of the aversion of his People towards him and that his ill Stars were as powerful as ever to render him unfortunate He had lately
lost the Kingdom of Ireland which was Conquer'd by one of the Prince of Orange's King William III. Generals who had taken Limerick and oblig'd the French Forces to return into France In recompense of this loss he was buoyed up the next following Spring of being suddenly restor'd to his Throne There were many of his Adherents and Creatures left in England besides a good many of his old Servants who being employ'd in bringing over the Officers of the English Army and Fleet to their side perswaded themselves to have managed matters with so much dexterity that it was impossible to fail in the Enterprise Full of these hopes this Prince craved assistance from our King who granted him a good Fleet and a sufficient number of Land-Forces to be transported into England Then he marched with his Troops into Normandy expecting the success of our Fleet which under the Command of the Count de Tourville Vice-Admiral of France was gone to Sea in quest of the Enemy But we found our selves soon mistaken in our fond expectations for the English were so far from running before us or to declare for the King of England as we had been perswaded they would that they gave Tourville a very warm reception Loss of fifteen Fr. Men of War in May. The French Fleet was much inferiour in number to the Enemies consisting only of forty four Men of War for the Line of Battle whereas the Confederate Fleet was fourscore and ten strong Notwithstanding this great inequality the French Attack'd them so briskly that for three hours together they had the advantage over the Enemies who were extreamly damnified in their Masts and Rigging lost one of their Ships which was sunk and most of their Fireships whereas we lost not one Ship during the whole Engagement Both Fleets being separated by a thick Fog and the Night Tourville fearing not without reason that considering the inequality of their Forces he should not be in a condition to cope with the Confederate Fleet a second time thought it most advisable to take this opportunity of making the best of his way towards the French Coast But his Fleet being separated by the darkness of the Night one and twenty of his biggest Ships gain'd the Port of St. Malo where they were sufficiently secur'd against any attempt of the Enemy But fifteen others not being able to steer the same course by reason of the contrary Winds were so closely pursued that being in danger of being taken they run a-shoar and after having taken out all their Cannon and most of their Rigging the French set fire to them rather than to leave them a prey to the English and Dutch Nothing is more common in the World than to lay the ill success of an Enterprise at the Door of him who has had the supream Direction and Management of it most People looking upon a disaster of this nature to proceed chiefly from the ill Conduct of the General whereas they attribute the happy success of a Battle merely to Fortune But it must be confess'd that Tourville had the satisfaction to hear his Enemies give him this Character That he had acquitted himself upon this Occasion as a great Commander But the taking of Namur did surprise the Confederacy and all Europe in such a manner Siege of Namur by the French that our success in Flanders soon effaced the remembrance of the disgrace received at Sea Namur is situated at the confluence of two Rivers the City lies in a Plain the Castle is built upon a Rock both are very regularly fortified this being one of the most considerable places in all Flanders for its Situation and of such consequence that in the last Age this being the only Place in the Netherlands remaining in the Spaniards Hands they by the help of it recover'd all the rest of the Low-Countries which have been in their possession since The several Works belonging to the Castle were like so many Citadels each of them being provided with its Out-Works Ditch a particular Garrison and Commander In the Fort William alone was a Garrison of two thousand Men and a train of Artillery sufficient to defend a great City These Forts being built upon an assent which reaches up to the body of the Castle command one another And defend the avenues leading to it At the time when it was besieged by the King the Place was provided with a Garrison of eight or nine thousand Men with great store of Ammunition and Provision of all sorts under the bravest and most expert Officers among the Confederates The Prince of Orange King William III. was at that time in Flanders and the Confederates were so numerous on that side that they could bring together an Army of an hundred thousand Men. But all these obstacles were not capable of altering the King's resolution who after every thing was in a readiness for the carrying on of so great an Enterprise ordered two separate Armies to take the Field in Flanders the less numerous of the two was employed in the Siege the other to cover it against any attempt of the Enemy These two Armies consumed every Day two hundred and fifty thousand Rations of Bread and thirty thousand French bushels of Oats allowing half a bushel for each Horse a Day And the King had taken such sure measures as to all the necessary Supplies that as long as the Siege lasted there was always in both Camps no less than for fifteen Days Provision Twenty thousand Pioneers were employed in making the Lines of circumvallation and contravallation and the Trenches were opened in three Days after The City made at first a vigorous Defence but capitulated on the eighth Day finding it self not in a condition to sustain a general Assault The surrender of the City made the Enemy fear that the Castle tho' accounted impregnable might follow the example of the City for which reason the Prince of Orange King William III. Count Waldeck General of the Dutch Forces and the Elector of Bavaria who had lately been made Governour of the remaining part of the Spanish Netherlands advanced and posted themselves near the Banks of the River Meheigne These three Bodies made together an Army of near an hundred thousand Men which was continually in motion to intercept our Convoys or to endeavour to force our Quarters if they should find an opportunity The Marshal de Luxemburgh not inferiour in number to the Confederates being encamped on rising Ground on the other side the Meheigne at about half a Leagues distance from the River expected them in good order there being a large Plain betwixt them and the Enemy But the Prince of Orange King William III. had either no inclination to hazard a Battle or else could not meet with a favourable opportunity to put his design in execution for he caused five or six several times Bridges to be laid over the River but they were immediately broken down again Thus these two great Armies encamped within sight
of one another for a whole Month exactly observing and following one another's motions frequently saluting one another with their Cannon without coming to handy-blows In the mean while the Siege was carried on with all imaginable vigour the King not only giving his Directions upon all occasions of moment but also seeing them put in execution Being seiz'd with the Gout when they were just ready to attack a covert way he caused himself to be carried in a Chair to a certain Place from whence he could see all what passed and give the necessary Orders as occasion should require Here it was that Lewis Alexander Count of Tholouse was wounded by his side It was observable that there did not appear the least change in this young Prince's Countenance at this mishap a happy presage of those many courageous Actions he has since that time given such eminent proofs of in the following Campaigns The King's Forces being animated by his Presence and Example never behaved themselves so well in any Siege whatever giving every Day innumerable demonstrations of their Courage and Patience for the besieged fired without intermission The weather was extreamly bad during the whole Siege the Soldiers being continually fatigu'd by the Rains and Tempests besides which they met with so many Rocks in the carrying on of the Trenches that they could advance but slowly and with a great deal of difficulty they being forc'd to carry them round about several great Hills and large Valleys which took up a vast compass But all these obstacles served only to augment the Patience and Courage of our Soldiers It was next to a prodigy to see some of them crawl up boldly to the Breaches and to endeavour to keep their Post only with their Swords in Hand against a vast number of Enemies who powered whole showers of small-shot at them whilst they return'd them as many Hand-Granadoes as they were able to throw The first and the bravest Action that happened in the whole Siege was near a certain Eminency where the Enemy having strongly Entrenched themselves we were forc'd to drive them from that Post before we could open our Trenches before the Castle The King's Troops attack'd them with Sword in Hand and Bayonetts in their Fusees They fired very briskly from their Entrenchments which our Troops having sustained with great bravery the Enemy at their approach quitted the Post after they had lost two or three hundred Men. Within six Days after we forc'd their retrenchments and redoubts of the Hermitage The Fort William defended it self ten Days On the tenth we carried the Covert-way not without great slaughter on both sides when the Dutch Garrison came immediately to a Capitulation This done there was remaining as yet the Castle with all its Out-works This was the most difficult task but by the King's presence the Works were carried on so vigorously that in five Days time we made an Assault upon the Counterscarp The Besieged defended themselves with all the courage imaginable but were at last forced to way to the numbers of the Besiegers who were from time to time seconded with fresh Troops soon after all their Cannon being dismounted one of their chief Magazins blown up by two of our Bombs and another being fallen into the great Cistern which furnished the Castle with Water and our Mines ready to spring under one of the Bastions of the Horn-work what with hunger and thirst what with fear of not being able to sustain a General Assault for want of Sleep occasioned by the continual throwing in of Bombs they were necessitated to hearken to a Capitulation notwithstanding that the body of the Castle was entire and that they had as yet a Horn-work left which would have cost us no small trouble to take Out of eight or nine thousand Men of which the Garrison of Namur consisted at the beginning of the Siege there were but twelve hundred left in the Fort William and two thousand five hundred in the Castle when they marched out The rest perished either by sickness or were killed by our Bombs or in the several Attacks and Sallies The taking of Namur in the sight of an Army of an hundred thousand Men put all the Spanish Netherlands under a most terrible consternation the common people being extreamly dissatisfied that the relief of a place of such consequence had not as much as been attempted by the Confederate Army affronted nay assaulted the Dutch at Brussels and several other places and did not stick to grumble at the Prince of Orange King William III. who to appease them and to raise their drooping Courage resolved within a Month after to give us Battle Every thing seem'd to conspire for his advantage Battle of Stenkerk Aug. 3. He was now thirty thousand Men stronger in Insantry than the Duke of Luxemburgh who labour'd also under another inconveniency that his Cannon was left behind his Artillery not arriving till the Night before the Engagement The Grounds on that side where the Enemy intended at Attack us being full of small Bogs and Rivulets with very thick Hedges and large Ditches was only fit for the Infantry to Engage in Here it was that the Troops of the King's Houshold were posted who being cover'd by one single Brigade the rest of the French Infantry were at least a League 's distance from thence the Prince of Orange King William III. did not in the least question but they would soon be over-powered by the whole English Infantry that were to begin the Attack all the circumstances appearing so favourable on his side that he thought himself assured of Victory To amuse the Enemies Spies he issued out his Orders the Night before the Engagement that they should go a Foraging the next Day which done he kept all the General Officers of the Army with him in his Tent till ten a Clock at Night when having sent them back to their respective Posts the march was begun about half an hour after to be within sight of the French Camp at break of Day There appear'd so much satisfaction and joy both in his Countenance and Words that when they arriv'd at the appointed place without being discovered by the French he spoke out a loud to his Soldiers that they were going to an assured Victory not to fight but to cut to pieces their Enemies tho' many were of Opinion that this assurance he gave to his Soldiers of an undoubted Victory was rather done with an intention to enflame their Courage than to express his own sentiments it being unquestionable that it was always consider'd as one of the chiefest qualifications belonging to a General to know how to inspire his Soldiers with a seasonable assurance of Victory It is more than probable that if at that instant he had led his Army towards the Enemy his design would have succeeded but whilst he stayed for the coming up of the Elector of Bavaria and Count Waldeck who stayed above an Hour longer than was expected the French
passable by the Bridges made by the dead Carcasses of Men and Horses This vast Army was dispersed in such a manner that they could not get together in a Body again till six days after when being reinforced with fresh Troops and especially with the Detachment commanded by the Prince of Wirtembergh they appear'd again in the Field It is to be taken notice of here that since the beginning of this War our King had ordered certain Lines or Entrenchments to be made from Mabeuge to the Sea-side to serve as a Barricado to cover his Conquests on that side The Duke of Wirtembergh having been detached from the main Army with a Body three times stronger than the French that guarded these Lines to attack them had forced these Entrenchments and was just then preparing to ravage the Country when receiving the News of this Defeat he was forced to turn back in order to join with all speed the Prince of Orange King William III. Within two Months after Victory of Marsaglia the 4 October the Marshal de Catinat obtained another no less compleat but less bloody Victory over the Confederate Army in Italy under the Command of the Duke of Savoy The said Marshal's Army had hitherto been much inferior in Number to the Allies which was the Reason that he had not undertaken any thing of moment but only to observe the Enemies Motions and to harress them with Marches and Countermarches The Duke and Spaniards willing to improve this Opportunity resolved to besiege Pignerol but being discouraged by the Resistance they met with in the Taking of St. Brigitt which being built but a Year before at some distance from the Town commanded the chief Avenues leading to it and had held out fifteen days before it was taken they altered their Resolutions contenting themselves with throwing a vast number of Bombs and red hot Bullets into the Place Whilst they were flattering themselves with the hopes of either reducing or destroying the City of Pignerol by Fire Messengers after Messengers came to bring the sad News to the Duke of Savoy that not only the French had burnt one of his Country Houses but that also the Marshal de Catinat having received a Considerable Reinforcement had made himself Master of the Plains The Duke immediately directing his March towards those Plains he was met by the Marshal The Battle began about nine a Clock in the Forenoon the right Wing of the Enemy was brought into confusion at the first Encounter the left follow'd not long after the Example of the right Wing yet they Rallyed and return'd to the Charge twice or thrice but without any great Effect for their Cavalry being entirely routed the rest were cut to pieces except those who saved themselves by flight and to fly with the less Inconveniency threw away their Arms enough to Arm sixteen thousand Men. The flying Enemy were pursued to the very Gates of Turin the whole Plain being covered with dead Carcasses and in some places with entire Battallions especially of the Spaniards and Hugonots The Enemies lost nine thousand Men in this Engagement besides two thousand taken Prisoners a hundred Colours forty five Standards and thirty four pieces of Cannon We had twelve or fifteen hundred killed and wounded on our side The Gens d'Arms behaved themselves to a miracle Our Infantry fought with their Bayonets in their Fuszees and Sword in hand After the Loss of this Battle the Duke being reinforced with the German Troops that block'd up Casal yet durst not appear in the Field so that the Marshal de Catinat without opposition over-run all the flat Country and carried away a prodigious quantity of Provision The King received the News of this Victory and of the Surrender of Charleroy in one day This place is situate betwixt Mons and Namur and was besieged in November when the Prince of Orange K. William III. was just ready to pass over into England Siege of Charleroy but upon the News of this Siege return'd into Flanders and advanced with an Army as far as Brussels but did not attempt the Relief of the Place which tho' considerable for its strength was forced to surrender in six and twenty days About the end of the same Month English Expedition against St. Malo an English Squadron was sent towards St. Malo to attempt the destruction of that Place not so much by their Bombs as a certain Engine by which they hoped to blow up that City or to lay it in Ashes This Engine was a three Deck'd-Ship of about four hundred Tuns lined and vaulted within with Brick-Work Betwixt each of these Decks there were placed many Barrels with Gun-powder mixt with a certain Composition of Tarr Pitch and Rosin a great number of Bombs Carcasses and other Casks fill'd with all sorts of Combustible Matter It was a fair and clear Night very calm and Spring-tide when this infernal Engine came swimming up with the Tide but by good Fortune was forced upon a Rock within Pistol-shot of the Walls of the City The Engineer who had the management of this Vessel perceiving that she took Water was so over-hasty in setting her on Fire that both He and his Attendants were blown up in the same moment before they had time to get out of reach The springing of this Engine made a most dreadful Noise and shook all the circumjacent Ground for three or four Leagues The whole City felt a most violent Confusion and in a moment all the Streets were covered with Slates and Tyles which like a Shower of Hail powred down from the tops of the Houses This was the whole Loss sustained by this dreadful Engine which carried along with it more Terror than Damage there being not one House in the whole City that receiv'd any further Damage neither was there one single Person kill'd or wounded For the Powder having taken vent and being besides that spoil'd by the Water did not answer the pretended Effect in throwing the Bombs and Barrels full of Combustible Matter into the Air. At low Water near seven hundred Bombs were taken up from the Sands and abundance of Powder out of the Wrack of the Vessel We could scarce have wish'd for a more prosperous Campaign on our side than the last Campaign in 1694. but as there is no human Felicity without some mixture of Adversity so when the State suffers within all its outward Prosperity appears to be but superficial I say we could not have wished for a more glorious Campaign if a general Scarcity had not almost ruined several Provinces in the Kingdom but especially the City of Paris with the circumjacent Parts France is a very fertile Country abounding especially in Wheat so as to be able to furnish its Neighbours with a considerable Quantity of this useful Commodity which for several years before had been so cheap that the common People liv'd easie enough tho' by reason of the long War and the decay of Trade there was but slender Gain
among them But the Harvest in the Year 1693 both for quantity and quality of the Corn prov'd so excessive bad that it was sold for four times the Price than before In this unhappy Conjuncture the King sent a great number of Ships both to the North and the Coast of Barbary Dearth in France to supply our Wants he obliged the Corn-Merchants to carry their Stores to Market to furnish the Country with Seed for the next following Year he caused a great quantity of Bread to be destributed to the poorer Sort at half the price it cost him and gave every Week a good Sum for the Sustenance of the Poor of each Parish To these Supplies and human Aids he join'd the Prayers of the Church and God was pleased so to bless his Endeavours that his Subjects were soon Reliev'd and freed from their present Misfortunes the next Harvest proving so plentiful that within five Weeks time the Price of Corn fell to such a degree that it was sold at the same rate as before the time of the Dearth This general Scarcity however the constant fore-runner of a great Mortality was a sufficient In ducement to perswade the Prince of Orange K. William III. that this was the most seasonable Juncture that could offer to Invade the Kingdom of France The Confederates encouraged by the hopes of Success augmented their Forces on all sides with fresh Troops and the English who ever since the beginning of this War had not been sparing of their Money being now more liberal than ever in granting new Supplies he Equipp'd two Fleets to back his Design But the Success was in no wise answerable to these vast Preparations For in Piedmont the Campaign passed without any Siege or Action of Moment In Germany the Confederate Army had passed the Rhine in order to ravage the Lower Alsace but no sooner did the Marshal de Lorge march against them but they re-pass'd the said River without any further Action The Dauphin Commanded at that time in Flanders attended by the Flower of all the French Nobility his Army was composed of the best Troops but did not exceed fifty thousand Men. The Confederate Army consisted of fourscore thousand Men under the Command of the Prince of Orange K. William III. and the Elector of Bavaria and it was given out that they intended to Besiege Namur and Dunkirk but notwithstanding the inequality of their Number there passed not any thing of Moment all this Campaign Towards the latter end of the Month of August the Confederate Army decamped from about Liege directing their March towards our Lines in hopes to force them and to put our Conquests under Contribution and to open the way for some Enterprize of more moment To put the Design in Execution they advanced towards the Shelde in hopes to be able to lay their Bridges over that River without much opposition there being not above seven or eight thousand Men as they imagined to guard our Lines But their Astonishment was such as is pass'd all Expression when they saw on the other side of the River several Batteries mounted with Cannon and the Dauphin's Army ranged in Battle-Array ready to receive them It was a good while before they could believe their own Eyes thinking it impossible that whereas they had got two days march before the Dauphin and the Road they had taken was by one half shorter they should be prevented by the French Army which had many Defiles and four Rivers to pass For no sooner had the Dauphin receiv'd Intelligence of their March but he immediately dispatch'd his Orders to get every thing in readiness upon the Road which might conduce towards the hasty March of his Army to prevent if possible the Enemies Design His Orders were so strictly observed that in all places through which they passed they found Forrage Provisions and all other Refreshments in abundance many Bridges were laid ready over the Rivers great Numbers of Waggons and Boats attended every where to carry the Soldiers that were unable to follow the rest or to convey these with more Expedition who were intended to be the first that should join these Forces that kept the Guard of the Lines Never were any Solders seen to March with more Alacrity Neither the Weight of their Arms nor the Heat of the Season nor the Fatigues of so long and Expeditious a March did abate the least of their Vigour and Activity they strove on the contrary to out-viegh one another in their March aiding and encouraging those who staid a little behind This generral Emulation prov'd so successful that the whole Army with their Cannon and Baggage march'd forty large Leagues in less than four days time The Confederate Army was so much surprised at this unexpected Sight that they retired immediately without attempting any thing further that Campaign But before they went into Winter quarters they sent a strong Detatchment towards Liege which in conjunction with the Forces of that Bishoprick took the Town and Castle of Huy in six days a small place and one of those that commonly fall to the share of those who are Masters of the Field Threescore pieces of Cannon and thirty Mortars were made use of in this Siege an Expence suitable to a much greater Enterprize but scarce worth the taking of a Place of so little Consequence The Conquest of Huy seem'd to be but a slender Recompence to the Allies for the disappointments of this Compaign which had passed without any Action of moment and for the loss of a Battle and four considerable Places in Catalonia For the Marshal de Noailles having immediately after his arrival in those Parts received the King's Orders to find out and fight the Enemy he found them entrenched to the number of sixteen or seventeen thousand on the opposite shoar of the River Ter which is pretty broad but fordable in many places The French Army was not inferior to that of the Enemy Battle near Ter. 27 May. consisting of twelve thousand regulated Troops the rest of the Militia Several Squadrons of Granadiers and of the Carabiniers having thrown themselves with break of day into the River some with only their Swords in hand the rest with their Fuscees and Bayonets the Enemy fired very furiously upon them notwithstanding which they advanced with an undaunted Courage and attack'd them with so much Bravery that they entring Pall-mall with them in their Camp forced them to quit their Entrenchments In the mean while the best of the whole Army having passed the River advanced in good Order to give them Battle The Spanish Horse received them with an extraordinary Courage whereby their Infantry got leisure to retire The Cavalry was brought several times into confusion and Rally'd as often till at last being quite broken most of them were cut to pieces they being pursued for three Hours together to the Defiles A good part of the Infantry underwent the same Fate so that we obtained a compleat Victory with
contrary he shew'd such an unparallell'd Resolution in the whole management of his Affairs at that time that he seem'd to bid Defiance to all Dangers and inspite of all the Intrigues and the Hazard of quitting the Helm at so critical a Juncture he passed over into Flanders in the next Spring to encourage and promote by his Presence the Zeal of the Confederate Princes who having augmented their Forces made all imaginable Preparations to attack us with more Vigour than ever According to the measures concerted betwixt the Confederates they were to undertake three several Sieges at once one in Flanders another in Italy and a third in Catalonia whilst two good Fleets were to Alarm our Coasts and to destroy our Sea-Port Towns It must be confess'd that the Confederates were at present in a much better Condition than ever since the beginning of the War to undertake something of Moment to raise the drooping Courage of their Subjects and it must also be allow'd that they were more successful this Campaign than before tho' at the same time they succeeded but in one of these three For the Germans were not in a capacity to act offensively having been much diminished by several large Detachments sent to reinforce their Army 's in Flanders The Spaniards besieged Castle Follit in Catalonia but at the approach of the Duke of Vendosme who Commanded instead of the Marshal de Noailles who was faln sick at the opening of the Campaign they quitted the Siege Towards the end of the Summer they sat down before Palamos but with no better success for after five days of opening the Trenches they raised the Siege upon notice that the Duke was marching against them For these two years past the Emperour and Spain had press'd the Duke of Savoy to lay Siege to Casal a Place situate upon the River Po and so considerable for its advantageous Situation betwixt Savoy and the Milaneze the Petty Principalities of Mantua Modena and Parma The Spaniards who within fifty or sixty years have besieged this Place five several times have for a considerable time been very ambitious of becoming Masters of this Place which for its convenient Situation would open to them the way to the Conquest of all Italy The Emperour's Design being founded upon the same Maxim the Duke of Savoy for fear of endangering his own Liberty had hitherto refused to join with them in the Siege of this Place But the Council at Viena having at last found Means to remove all Jealousy perswaded the Duke to consent to it Accordingly they made prodigious Preparations for the carrying on of this Siege and that with so much Expedition Siege of Casal that the Lines and Batteries were finished in the Month of April But the first Attempt prov'd fruitless the Snows and cold Season having obliged the Confederate Army to return to their Winter Quarters so that the Siege was not renew'd till five Weeks after The neighbouring Italian Princes finding them to persist in their Resolution were extreamly Alarm'd at it being sensible that the Emperour who had already under the Pretext of providing his Forces with Winter Quarters got a footing in Italy would by the Conquest of a Place of such Consequence open himself a way into Italy To ward this Blow these Princes took a Resolution either to endeavour to oblige the Allies to desist from this Attempt or else to intercede with our King to restore the said Place to the Duke of Mantua with its Fortifications rased under Condition that he should be reimbursed what this Place had cost him for which the said Princes engaged themselves to be Guarantees The King had bought this place for five Millions of Livres and it had cost him three more since without reaping any other Advantage by it than to be ready at hand to succour the Princes of Italy whereas we were obliged to maintain in it a constant Garrison of our best Troops who might be better employed elsewhere The King having well weighed the Matter and that our Army in Piedmont was at that time not strong enough to engage the Enemy or to oblige them to raise the Siege rather accepted their Propositions to rase the Fortifications of the Place than to sacrifise four or five thousand Men in the defence of it The Swiss Cantons and the Venetians having prevail'd with the Duke of Savoy to consent to this Treaty the Emperour and Spain were obliged to accept of the same Terms Casal Surrendred Accordingly Casal was surrendred on the tenth of July when the Enemies were not as yet Masters of any of the Outworks after thirteen days of opening of the Trenches Whilst the Confederates were before Casal the Grand Confederate Fleet which had been this Winter in the Spanish Ports appear'd continually upon the Cost of Provence to oblige our King to employ part of his Forces for the defence of his Sea-Coasts on that side and consequently prevent the sending of relief to Casal The Fleet was but in an indifferent Condition by reason of the great Mortality among the Seamen occasioned by the want of fresh Provisions and many other Necessaries which they could not be furnished withal but from England yet they appear'd so formidable that it was given out they intended to Bombard Thoulon and Marseilles but knowing us to be ready to give them a warm Reception they did not think fit to attempt it They were cruising the rest of the Summer in the Gulph of Lyons in the Seas of Cardaigne and Liguria and having been over-taken by a most violent Storm in which they lost five of their great Ships they came to an Anchor before Palamos Having received Intelligence that we began to equip at Thoulon they chose the open Sea cruising from one Place to another without any other Design than to pick up now and then some of our Privateers and to disturb our Commerce The Second Fleet of the Confederates in the Ocean consisted of Thirty great Ships St Malo bombarded Twenty Bomb-Vessels and many other Ships loaden with Ammunition and other Necessaries This Squadron bombarded St. Malo but did no further damage than to burn Ten Houses and to endamage several others the whole Loss being computed at One hundred thousand Livres But Dunkirk being the Place which the Enemy aim'd at they were so well prepared for their Reception that they appear'd rather like Men with hopes of a Victory than discourag'd with fear at the Approach of an Enemy the entrance of the Harbour being well provided with Batteries with Chains and a good number of Chaloops full of armed Men commanded by our best Marine Officers Attempt upon Dunkirk The first Bombs of the Enemies falling above two hundred yards distance from the Town the Inhabitants even to the Children got on the top of the Houses and upon the Bastions to be Spectators of this Bombardment Four Fireships approached the wooden Forts that defend the Mole but were met by the Chaloops who blew them up
distance from the Town to hinder the sudden approach of an Enemy Monsieur de Regnac who commanded them in Chief made so many Sallies as fill'd up their Trenches threw up whole Battallions by the springing of his Mines into the Air that it cost the Enemy eight days time before they could make themselves Masters of them after they had been repulsed in the first Assault and that the French had been reduc'd to these streights as not to have room enough left to make new Entrenchments The Trenches opened before Namur betwixt the 11th and 12th of July The City did not Capitulate till after four and twenty days of opening of the Trenches all their covert ways and other Outworks being so entirely ruin'd by the Enemies great Artillery that without the utmost hazard they could not pretend to sustain a third Assault The first assault was the most terrible that had been seen in the Memory of Man it being no less obstinate than bloody It was a most dreadful Sight to behold the dead Carcasses lying in great Heaps and to hear the doleful Groans and Cries of the dying and wounded Soldiers The Allies renew'd the Attack four several times without being able to lodge themselves within either of the Trenches though all the same time these were seconded by a shower of Carcasses Bombs The City of Namur taken and red hot Bullets which were shot within the Works of the Town This brave Resistance giving us all imaginable hopes that the Castle would be able to defend it self much longer the Marshal de Villeroy advanc'd with his Army towards Brussels to Bombard that Place unless the Confederades would agree not to Bombard any place for the future without a formal Siege Never was any Enterprize more advantageously undertaken and more dexteously manag'd than this Bombardment For within the place was a very strong Garrison Brussels Bombarded and the Prince of Vaudemont with his Army was Encamp'd under the Walls besides that another flying Body of at least Twelve Thousand Men was continually in Motion to observe us and one side of the Town was laid under Water At the end of a great Causey the only way by which we could approach the Town the Enemies had made an Entrenchment of twenty Foot high having before it a low way which served for a Ditch But all these Obstacles were not sufficient to hinder the Marshal de Villeroy from opening his Trenches and raising his Batteries in spite of all their Entrenchments neither the Garrison or of Prince Vaudemont's Army which laid Entrenched on the backside of the Town making the least Motion either at our Arrival before or at our Marching off from before the Place All the Batteries being ready to Play the Marshal de Villeroy sent his Propositions of not Bombarding any Place for the future without a formal Siege But the Elector of Bavaria whose Intention was to gain time being come to Brussels the Marshal threw four Thousand Bombs in three Nights time into the Place 'T is impossible to express the Confusion and Terrour occasioned by the fury of our Bombs in so populous a City The best and strongest Edifices being destroyed and two thirds of the whole City either Burnt or laid Level to the Ground From hence our Army Marched towards Namur The Prince of Orange King William III having received Intelligence of their Approach and being joined by the Prince of Vaudemont and another Re-inforcement drew up his whole Army behind his Lines leaving only Twenty Thousand Men to guard the Trenches with a Resolution to avoid Fighting as long as possible he could and to keep on the Defensive being covered on all sides by unpassable Boggs thick Wood and Hedges and defended by double Entrenchments at all the Avenues The Marshal de Villeroy left nothing unattempted upon this Occasion he himself went in Person to take a View of the Woods and Defiles to see whether by some way or other it were not possible to force the Enemies Quarters without too much exposing the Soldiers to the Slaughter but found all the Avenues so well secur'd that it was impossible to attack the Enemy All the hopes of Relief being cut off by the Retreat of the French Army The Confederates attack'd the Castle with new Vigour Their great Artillery had done such terrible Execution against the Castle that all the Out-works appear'd no otherwise than like so many heaps of Stone or Rubbish the poor Soldiers being for the most part forced to shelter themselves in the Vaults against the Fury of the Bombs and Bullets which made Breaches every where each of which was big enough for a whole Battallion to Mount in Front The Marshal de Boufleurs having refused to hearken to the Summons sent him by the Confederates they prepared for a general Assault which was made in eleven several places at once The day appointed for this Bloody Action being come the Besieged saw about ten a Clock in the Morning the Enemies Infantry appear in two Columns above the Trenches advancing in good order towards the Breaches Three Thousand of their best Men at the Head of whom were the English Granadiers did out-brave all the rest in attempting to mount the Breach made in the Body of the Castle There was at least six Hundred Yards distance betwixt the head of the Trenches and the said Breach defended on both sides with several Out works well provided with a sufficient number of Soldiers But those brave Fellows made their way thro' all these Obstacles and advanced so briskly in spight of the Enemies Fire which galled them so in Front and Flank that the first Battallion planted their Colours on the top of the Breach This Battallion being brought into Confusion by the irresistible Bravery of the Besieged the second took their place till being quite broken as well as the former the flying Soldiers pressing upon one another brought the rest that were to Second them likewise in Coufusion who thereupon retreated in great disorder All the other Assaults were made and repulsed with the same Bravery notwithstanding the Garrison was quite exhausted of Strength by the continual Fatigues and for want of Rest but being animated by the Example of the Marshal and the rest of the Officers who also remonstrated to them that the Honour of the Nation laid at Stake and that their safety depended only on the points of their Swords they gave such Signal Proofs of their Bravery that the Enemies were repulsed in all their Attacks with great Slaughter which lasted till five a Clock in the Afternoon This was a most glorious day for the Besieged but they had lost so many of their Men in this occasion that finding themselves not in a Capacity to sustain another Assault the Marshal de Bouflers was forc'd to Capitulate The Castle of Namur surrender'd and to surrender the Castle on the first day of November Namur was purchased at a very dear rate by the Confederates who beside the immense
Expences bestowed in the carrying on of this Siege lost twenty Thousand Men the Flower of their whole Army The Confederates being flush'd with this Success Campaign 1666. boasted every where of this Conquest but the wiser sort among them were not much overjoyed at this Advantage as looking upon it as a means to retard the conclusion of a Peace For the People being exhausted with Taxes wished very earnestly for a Peace as the only means to free them from those heavy Impositions Their Commerce was considerably diminished our Privateers who continually infested their Coasts taking some of them every Day it having been Computed that the English alone have since the beginning of this War lost four Thousand two Hundred Merchant Men valued by themselves at thirty Millions of Sterling But there appeared in England many other Causes of Intestine Divisions and Confusion For the Money began to be very scarce and was so much Clipp'd of late Years that its intrinsick value did not amount to two thirds sometimes not to one half of what it ought to be As nothing is more pernicious and destructive to Commerce than the adulteration of Money so these Disorders made many grumble against the Government it being a customary thing for the Common People to impute any publick Disaster to the mis-management of those at the Helm which was also improved by a Party who insinuated into the People that great store of the English Coin was Transported into Holland The Agents of the King of England believing the present juncture very favourable to their Design set all their Engines at work for his Restauration They brought over many to their side some out of Novelty others being moved by a seasonable Repentance others out of Affection to their King joined in the Design of restoring him to the Throne They could scarce have wish'd for a more favourable Opportunity the Prince of Orange King William III. having left the Kingdom destitute of Troops and without a Fleet to guard the Coasts All his Troops were transported to Flanders the grand Fleet was at Cadiz and a good Squadron of his best Ships lately gone out of the Downs to join those in the Streights The King of England encourag'd by these hopes of Success came to Calais with a Body of Sixteen Thousand Men of old Troops under the Command of several experienc'd Generals who were ready to Embark at an hours warning But the Winds proving contrary for some time the whole Design was discover'd and we lost at once both the time and hopes of putting it in Execution For no sooner had the Dutch received Intelligence of this intended descent but they put to Sea with a Squadron of twelve stout Ships which cruised before Calais The Prince of Orange K. William III. without shewing the least Concern at the greatness of the Danger soon found means to disperse these Clouds He secured many suspected Persons recalled his Fleets and some of his Troops out of Flanders and secur'd the Sea-Coasts on that side which was most exposed to danger with a good Body of the Militia A Plot when once discover'd seldom takes effectâ— and in lieu of proving destructive to those against whom it was intended prroves generally the chief means of their Establishment Both the Houses of Parliament gave upon this occasion new Demonstrations of their Zeal and firm Adherence to the Interest of the Prince of Orange King William III. by entring into an Association not only to maintain his Interest against all Pretenders but also to revenge his Death if he should happen to be snatch'd away by some sinister Attempt against his Life Having received these fresh Assurances of their Zeal for his Person and Interest he took such sure measures to prevent all future Danger of this kind that without any further delay he passed over into Flanders At his Arrival in Flanders he found the King's Armies in the Field before him and in the Spanish Territories The King having taken a Resolution to be upon the defensive and sent his Orders to the Marshal de Villeroy who was to Command the French Army in the Lower Flanders to possess himself at the beginning of the Campaign of some advantageous Post from whence he might both observe the Enemies Motions and prevent their Designs and subsist in their Territories till the end of the Campaign The Army near the Meuse was Commanded by the Marshal de Bouflers who pursuant to the King's Orders had divided his Army into four several Bodies at such a convenient distance as to be able to join upon any occasion and at the same time to cover the French Conquests All the measures taken by the Confederates being broken by these seasonable Precautions they were forced to consume their own Territories all the Summer long without being able to undertake a Siege or come to an Engagement though they appear'd more formidable now than ever Their Fleet consisted of an Hundred and Thirty Sail but did no other feats but to burn a few Houses at Calais near the Sands of Cologne and at St. Martins They had three Armies in the Low-Countries one consisting of five and twenty or thirty Thousand Men under the Command of the Prince of Vaudemont in the Lower Flanders which however was not strong enough to Encounter the Marshal de Villeroy who Forraged to the very Gates of Ghent and exacted Contributions from all the circumjacent Countries Their Grand Army at least half as strong again threatned sometimes one sometimes another Place with a Siege but could not meet with a favourable opportunity to put it in Execution A third Army of eighteen or twenty Thousand Men all Germans advanced towards the side of Namur under the Command of the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassal They remain'd in that Post for about a Month when for want of Pay or opportunity of being employed in Flanders they returned towards the Rhine Neither did the Confederates act with much better Success on the German side The Prince of Baden keeping close within his Lines till the latter end of August not thinking it adviseable to meet the Marshal de Choiseul who had passed the Rhine with the French Army and stayed on this side near six Weeks After the return of the Landgrave of Hesse the Prince of Baden passed the Rhine and in Conjunction with the rest Marched towards Philipsbourgh without attempting any thing against the Place They afterwards advanced nearer the Marshal but spent the rest of their time in Cannonading one anothers Camp without coming to an Engagement The Duke of Vendosme had but a small Army in Catalonia more considerable for the goodness of his Troops than their Number Yet he remained Master of the Field all that Campaign being belov'd and esteem'd by the Inhabitants of the Country and dreaded by the Spaniards He defeated the Body of their Cavalry much Superiour in number of Squadrons to his He demolish'd many of their Castles which served them for places of Retreat He observed so closely
the Motions of their Army that he enclosed them betwixt the Mountains and their Entrenchment where without striking a Stroak they lost more Men than they could have done in an Engagement In Italy the Marshal de Catinat appear'd in the Field with a very numerous Army composed of some of our best Troops the King having taken a resolution either to Conquer all the Country as yet remaining under the Obedience of the Duke of Savoy or to oblige that Prince to accept of a Peace So soon as the Enemy receiv'd Intelligence that the French were preparing to pass the Mountains they employ'd a great number of Workmen to cover the City of Turin against any Attempt by making strong Lines and Entrenchments they carried all the common Cattle into places of Security and by their Army and numerous Parties which they sent abroad every Day endeavour'd to hinder our Communication with Pignerol Our Army finding nothing else to subsist on but what they were supply'd with by our Convoys did suffer Extreamly in their March which was not very hasty we being at the same time in Treaty with the Duke of Savoy and upon the point of concluding it After the Breach of the Truce the King had in his Manifest sufficiently testified his Intention of Sacrificing all his Conquests to the re-establishment of the publick Tranquility and that he had not taken up Arms to enlarge his Frontiers but to defend himself against the Attempts of the Confederate Princes Upon the same score it was that both before the Siege of Philipsbourgh and after the reduction not only of that Place but also of the whole Palatinate he pressed the Allies to change the Truce made at Ratisbonne in the Year 1684. into a lasting Peace Upon the same account also after taking Villa Franca Nice and Montmelian he offer'd the Duke of Savoy to restore to him all the Conquests he had made on that side Casal being demolish'd since that time the Duke of Savoy's Inclinations began to bend strongly towards a Peace Peace is so desirable in it self that when offer'd ought not to be refus'd Happy is that Prince who knows how to improve such an Opportunity to his own Advantage 'T is true the Duke made some Preparations in the next Spring to Besiege Pignerol but his Intention was rather to oblige us to demolish it than to reduce it by force of Arms. He had Espoused one of the Daughters of the Duke of Orleance only Brother to our King who having no Daughters had Married the eldest of his Nieces to the King of Spain the second to the Duke of Savoy The Queen of Spain died without Issue but the Dutchess of Savoy had had three Princesses to one of these the King resolv'd to Marry the eldest of his Grandsons to renew by this Marriage the ancient Alliance betwixt France and the Duke of Savoy This Alliance and the present Advantage of removing these inconveniencies which attended the War at so great a distance made the King consent to the demolishing of Pignerol and to restore the Duke into the immediate Possession of all his Territories except Susa Nice and Montmelian which were to be left in the King's Hands till the Conclusion of the general Peace The Duke on the other Hand oblig'd himself by a separate Article Peace with the Duke of Savoy in August to propose to the Confederates a Neutrality in Italy and if they refused to accept of it to join his Forces with France to oblige them to it During the Treaty with Savoy the King had granted a Truce for one Month which afterwards was prolonged at the Request of the Pope and the rest of the Princes of Italy who were not willing to let slip this opportunity that offer'd to rid their hands of the German and other Forreign Forces But the Confederates were so far from accepting the Dukes Propositions that on the contrary they left no stone unturn'd by threats and Promises to perswade him to alter his Resolution But he stood immovable to all these Insinuations and the time of the Truce being expir'd Siege of Valenza join'd his Forces with those of our King 's who advanc'd towards the Milaneze Territories to form the Siege of Valenza The Marshal de Catinat Commanded both these Armies under the Duke of Savoy and the Trenches being opened before the Place towards the end of September we caried on our Works with such Success that the Place was just upon the point of Capitulating Neutrality for Italy when a Messenger arrived in the Camp on the ninth day of October with this agreeable News that at last the Ministers of the Emperor and Spain had accepted of the Neutrality the chiefest Conditions were That the Princes of Italy should allow a certain Sum to the Emperor to redeem the Winter-Quarters And that the German Forces should begin their March in order to return into their own Country the same day that the King's Army in Italy should return into France The King gain'd great Advantages by the Peace of Italy Thirty Thousand Men of his best Troops with a great General who had hitherto been Employed on that side might be made use of with much less Expence against the Enemy in another place which must needs oblige them then to make a Peace with us or to continue the War with more Vigour and greater Expences than before We reap'd also another Advantage by it which ought not to be pass'd by in Silence which was the Princess Maria Adalaida The Dutchess of Burgundy Eldest Daughter of Victor Amadeus II. Duke of Savoy and Anna Mariae of Orleance Spouse to the Duke of Burgundy After the Ratification of the Peace this Princess was conducted into France though the Consummation of the Marriage was deferr'd for fifteen Months longer She was all that time not quite Eleven Years of Age but shew'd such a vivacity of Wit and so much Conduct in all her Actions that she was the admiration of the whole Court the Duke of Burgundy being not then above fourteen years Maria Victoria of Bavaria Dauphine of France died in the Year 1690. in the Flower of her Age Death of the Dauphiness she was a Princess of Extraordinary Merit of a great Soul whose chiefest aim was to see the Princes her Sons Educated in the love of Vertue and glorious Actions Betwixt this Princess and Lewis Dauphin of France were begotten three Princes Lewis Duke of Burgundy born the eighth day of August in the year 1682. Philip The three sons of the Dauphin Duke of Anjou born on the 29th day of December in the Year 1683. and Charles Duke of Berry on the 31st of August in the Year 1684. Never had any Princes in the World more noble Education their generous Inclinations being improved not only by their Governour Paul Duke de Beauvilliers Saint Aignant and their Tutor Francis de Salignac Fenelon Archbishop of Cambray but also by the singular Care of the King and
Dauphin who with so much Application did shew them the way to true Vertue that following both the Footsteps and Instructions of such Guides there never appear'd in any Princes in the World more noble Sentiments and generous Inclinations than in these three the Eldest having given already to the French Nation by his happy disposition to Vertuous Actions all the imaginable hopes of becoming one day a great Prince If the vertuous Inclinations of Princes are like Springs which derive their noble Effects and Communicate them to their Subjects nothing is so great but what may be expected from the happy Marriage of so accomplish'd a Prince with a Princess whose Merits equalize if not surpass her high Extraction and that most eminent Station she is placed by Providence in the World The Peace of Italy proved the happy forerunner of a general Peace It was two years since several Proposals had been made upon that Account which were often changed according to the several change of Affairs in Christendom matters being at that time not brought to a perfect Maturity But towards the latter end of this Campaign there appear'd more disposition in the Confederates for a Peace than before and the People both in England and Holland shew'd much eagerness for it the Allies were for the most part discouraged by the many Disappointments they had met with and most of them having no particular Interest in the War began to hearken to these Proposals which were made on our King's behalf to give Satisfaction to some of the Confederate Princes thus every thing seem'd to tend towards the Conclusion of a general Peace if an un-foreseen Obstacle had not overturn'd all these fair hopes Charles II. Charles II. K. of spain the present King of Spain happen'd to fall ill in the beginning of October so as to have three several Relapses in less than six Weeks time This Prince having no Issue and all Europe taking Interest in the Quarrel which was like to arise after his Death about the Succession the Confederates shew'd not much forwardness to bring it to a Conclusion till after the recovery of this Monarch It was perhaps upon this score that the Ministers of the Emperor and of some of the rest of the Confederate Princes found means to raise many difficulties concerning the Passes and the place where the Ambassadours were to meet to carry on the Negotiation of Peace The Conferences were already begun at the Hague as being the Center where the Ministers of the Consederacy used to meet besides that the Dutch shewed more Inclination for the Peace than the rest and made use of all their Endeavours to promote so great a Work Money began to be so scarce among them that they were hardly put to it to find means for the raising of new Troops to furnish their Quota of Men and Money which made up the largest share of the whole Confederacy They were also under some apprehensions that the Catholick Princes might be prevail'd upon either by the Mediation of the Pope or of the Duke of Savoy to conclude a separate Peace For since the Conclusion of the Peace in Italy the Emperor's Minister remain'd still at Turin The Governour of Milan had also taken several Journeys thither the Count de Tesse resided there in our King's behalf and the Marshal de Catinat had stayed there for some time before he repassed the Alpes The long stay of these Ministers in a Court which so lately had changed its Interest their frequent Conferences the many Messengers that were continually sent forwards and backwards betwixt Paris Vienna and Madrid raised no small jealousie in the Dutch and made them fear lest if the Emperour the King of Spain the Elector of Bavaria and the other Catholick Princes should make a separate Peace they would be left a Sacrifice to France But whilst these debates lasted both Parties began to make greater Preparations than ever for the Prosecution of the War Campaign of 1697. The King's Power appear'd more formidable than it did nine Years ago for he had more Money more Troops and better Officers than at the beginning of the War His Forces both in Garrisons and in the Field were counted to consist of four hundred and twenty thousand Men to wit three hundred and fifty Thousand Foot and threescore and ten Thousand Horse without reckoning those Employed in the Sea-Service who were no less considerable this Year than at any time before the King having applied all his Care to Arm in all his Ports and Equip all the biggest and best of his Ships The Confederates on the other side having taken a resolution to make their last Efforts this Campaign the Prince of Orange King William III. and the Dutch made a defensive League with the King of Denmark by Vertue of which he was obliged to furnish them with a certain number of Troops and a Squadron of Men of War But in the midst of all these vast Preparations the Plenipotentiaries of all the Princes that were engag'd in this Bloody War began to open the Conferences for the Conclusion of the Peace Delft and the Hague were pitch'd upon for the Places of Residence of these Ministers and the Castle of Riswick which lies betwixt these two Places to hold their Conferdnces in A considerable time before the opening of these Conferences Neutrallty proposed for Catalonia a Negotiation had been set on Foot at Turin to conclude a Neutrality for Catalonia The Spaniards cannot be more sensibly touch'd in any part of their Dominions than in Catalonia which lying so near to the Center of the Kingdom and Danger threatning from that side puts the People of Spain into a Ferment which is more dreadful among the Spaniards than other Nations The King of Spain wanted the necessary Funds for the carrying on of the War the Duke of Savoy having not disbanded any of his Troops either because matters were thus concerted betwixt our Court and him or because he intended to improve the present Conjuncture to his Advantage the Spaniards could draw but few of their Troops out of the Milaneze The Confederates had no Fleet in the Mediterranean and were consequently not in a Condition to succour them with any of their Troops in Catalonia besides that these Foreign Auxiliaries prov'd more troublesome to the Inhabitants than the Enemy considering all these disadvantages the Council of Spain were inclin'd to accept of this Neutrality if it had not been represented to them by the Emperor's Ministers that if our King should be freed at once from the War both near the Alpes and the Pyrenean Mountains it would be so great an Addition to his Strength that the Confederacy would be reduc'd to a necessity of preventing their Ruin by the Conclusion of a disadvantageous Peace These Considerations were so prevailing with the Spaniards that they neglected their own Interest for that of the Confederacy and refused to accept of the Neutrality with Catalonia The glorious success of
the French Arms for these nine or ten Years last past had given new occasion of Jealousie to the Emperor The Continuation of the War was a plausible pretence to augment his Authority in the Empire he had all the Reason in the World to be afraid of the ill state of the King of Spain's Health and his infirm Constitution he did also imagine that after the Conclusion of the Peace the German Princes would not be very forward to assist him against the Turks all which Inducements were sufficient to diminish the Emperor's Inclinations for a Peace It was supposed that the Prince of Orange K. William III. was also rather inclined to continue the War but considering that both the English and Dutch so earnestly desir'd it there was not any reason which could oblige him to oppose this Negotiation For the several Plots which had been contrived against him since his Elevation to the Throne the decay of Commerce the vast quantity of false and clipt Money and the scarcity of good Coin had caused ' such Confusions in England as could not be better repair'd than by a speedy Peace especially since the English sustain'd such considerable Losses both by our Privateers and the heavy Taxes that many of their richest Merchants were ruin'd by the War Add to this that the People in Holland were so pressing for a Peace that for fear the States-General should be prevail'd upon to consent to a separate Peace with France the Emperor and the other Princes judged it most adviceable not to delay any longer to send their Plenipotentiaries to assist at the opening of the Conferences The King had for some time before sent Francis de Calliere a person in whom he put a singular Confidence to the Hague to adjust the main Preliminary Points with the States General of the United Provinces and to remove all Obstacles which might retard or obstruct this grand Affair he kept upon the defensive for fear of raising new Jealousies against him among the Confederates But finding that this only served for a means to retard than promote the Peace some of the Confederates being buoyed up with the vain hopes of obtaining more advantageous Conditions by these delays he took a resolution to act with more Vigour this Campaign Since the end of the last Campaign the King had ordered his Magazines upon the Rhine to be fill'd with all manner of Provisions The French Forces which hitherto had been Employ'd in Italy were put into Winter-Quarters in Alsace and other adjacent Countries and our Troops had been in Motion all the Winter the better to amuse the Enemy The Neighbouring Princes being greatly Alarm'd at these vast Preparations caused their Territories to be cover'd by strong Entrenchments defended by a vast number of Pallisadoes and Batteries with Redoubts and Forts built on all the principal Avenues as if they all were to sustain the whole Force of France the following Campaign A Rumour being also industriously spread abroad which was confirm'd by the Motions of our Forces on that side that the King intended to have two great Armies in Germany one near the Vpper Rhine to give a Diversion to the Enemy the other under the Marshal de Catinat to undertake a Siege upon the Lower-Rhine the Confederates fortified Mayence and provided this as well as other places thereabouts with fufficient Garrisons This Rumor continued till towards the end of April the King having managed the whole Design with somuch Conduct and Secrecy that the Generals who were to serve under the Marshal de Catinat were upon the Road towards Germany in expectation to make the Campaign there when they receiv'd Orders to the contrary and that they should with all speed repair to Flanders whither the said Marshal was gone to form the Siege of Aeth This Enterprize was look'd upon as the most glorious that could be undertaken Siege of Aeth the Place being strongly fortified with eight Bastions surrounded with a broad and deep Ditch full of Water It was the sixteenth day of May when the Town was Invested at which time there was a Garrison in it of three thousand seven hundred Men. Never was a place attack'd with more precaution and so much vigour at the same time the King having given express Orders to the Marshal to spare as much as possible could be his Troops but to play against the Place the more furiously with his great Artillery But the besieged made but a feeble Resistance they fired not very briskly nor made one Sally when our Men made the Assault upon the covert Way they left their Post after the first Discharge so that as soon as we had made two breaches large enough to mount them this strong Place which by reason of its many Outworks Surrender of Aeth was fear'd would cost us a great many Men surrendred by Composition the 6th day of June in thirteen days after opening of the Trenches with the loss only of a hundred Men on our Side The Confederates had at the same two great Armies in Flanders being both computed at a hundred and twenty thousand Men. Our King to disappoint the Enemies design of relieving the Place had order'd the Marshal de Villeroy to post himself on that side where there was the most appearance of danger The Marshal de Bouflers was Encamped on the other side of the Town and three other Bodies were to guard some other Avenues leading to it all which were posted at such convenient distance as to be able to second one another in case of an Attack so soon as the Enemy had been advertised of the Siege they advanced towards our Lines but whither it were that they fear'd the Desertion of many of their Soldiers who were very ill paid or that they did not think it for their Interest to hazard a Battle at this juncture of time when the Peace was so near a Conclusion for fear that if the Success should not answer their Expectation they should be forced to rest contented with the less advantageous Conditions they divided their Army into several Bodies the better to cover their other Places in Flanders without attempting the Relief of Aeth Soon after the taking of Aeth they received a fresh Reinforcement of eighteen thousand Men but notwithstanding their vast Number they Entrenched themselves in their Camp which they made impregnable by many Redoubts and Batteries The French Army's continued all this Summer in the Spanish Territories without being distubr'd by the Confederates who avoided a Battle or Engagement The remaining part of the Campaign was spent without any further Action the Allies seeming to have no other Aim than to prevent our Forces from undertaking any thing of moment and both Parties being actually inclin'd to expect the issue of the Siege of Barcelona and of the Diet Assembled in Poland for the chusing of a Successor to their lately deceased King John John Sobieski Grand Marshal of Poland ow'd his Elevation to the Throne of Poland not so much
Viceroy's Quarter where there was nothing but Confusion as may easily be supposed to be the Effects of such a Surprize Every one was for following the Example of the Viceroy who saved himself in his Shirt without being able to take along with him his Papers or Scrutore in which was a good Sum of Gold Two or three hundred of the bravest among them who made some resistance were cut in pieces and the rest dispersed in an instant The whole Camp with all their Baggage fell a Prey to our Soldiers who burnt their Tents and every thing else that was not portable The Count d' Vsson having at the same time had the good Fortune to drive the Spaniards from their Post in the Mountains we had all the reason to believe that the Besieged being discouraged by this ill Success would alter their measures and give over their Design of holding out to the last Extremity Assault up on Barcelona But we found our selves deceiv'd in our hopes for they received us with incredible Bravery as we were giving the Assault about a Week after upon the Breaches of the two Bastions They retook one of these Bastions with great Slaughter and after they were drove from thence a second time retreated into a strong Entrenchment they had made behind the Breach of the Bastion Thus we were to encounter the Danger of a new Siege there being behind the Entrenchment a strong old Wall fortified with Towers Our Miners were set at Work and every thing ready for a general Assault when the Besieged were again summon'd to a Surrender but without being in the least terrified at the Danger that threatned them in case the Town should be be taken by Assault they refused to hearken to a Capitulation till at last being overcome by the Lamentations of the Cirizens and the Consideration of their present Condition which was such as not to be able to sustain another Assault without hazarding all they accepted of the Conditions offer'd them by the Duke de Vendosme who to shew the Esteem he had for their Bravery allow'd them very honourable Conditions to wit to march out thro' the Breach with six Mortars and thirty pieces of Cannon Besides which we found in the place six Mortars Surrendeâ— of Barcelona more and one hundred pieces of Cannon This Siege cost the Lives of many brave Men we having lost betwixt four and five thousand on our side and the Enemy above six housand It was was much about the same time that we receiveed the welcome News of the good Success of an Expedition against Carthagena a Place belonging to the Spaniards in the West-Indies The Spaniards are so over-jealous of their great Riches and vast Possessions in the new World that they do not suffer any Foreigner among them there This Project had been in Debate several times before but never came to Maturity till the Sieur de Ponty obtain'd Leave from the King to undertake this Eppedition in Person The King to encourage the Design provided the Ships many particular Persons furnishing their Quota for the Equipment of them in proportion to the Share they expected to have in the Booty The Sieur de Ponty was an expert Seaman and had rendred himself Famous in several Exploits Accordingly he set Sail in the Month of January Expedition against Carthagena with seven Men of War three Frigats two other Ships and one Bomb-Vessel He met with all the imaginable Success in his Voyage and in the beginning of March following without having met with any Tempest or other Encounter at Sea came to an Anchor before the Port of St. Domingo where being reinforced with fifteen hundred Buckaneers he pursued his Voyage to Carthagena where at his Arrival he found the Enemies who had received Intelligence of his Design making preparations to receive him Carthagena is one of the most Famous and best Ports the Sponiards are Masters of in America Description of Carthagena It is a very large and populous City built upon a Peninsula its Avenues is being guraded by several Forts There the Lower and the Upper City The last is defended by several Bastions and the first by a strong Fort. There were above one hundred pieces of Cannons mounted upon their Walls and Forts their main Hopes they avoiding all Opportunities of coming to Handy-blows Our Troops acting not with the usual Precautions betwixt eight and nine hundred of them were killed at their Landing by the Enemy's Cannon In the Assault of the first Fort the Buckaneers attack'd them with such Bravery that they took it with little Resistance the other Forts were also abandoned by the Spaniards without striking a Blow They defended the Fort which guards the Lower Town for some time but that being carried by Assault we fired so furiously with our great Artillery against the Upper Town that they were forced to capitulate on the third day after The Sieur de Ponty entred the City in Triumph The taking of Carthagena and after he had put them to Ransom he demolished all their Bastions and Forts We got a prodigious Booty in the Place For without reckoning the vast Sums which each Officer and Soldier squeez'd out of their Landlords betwixt eight and nine Millions of Livres in ready Coin and Ingots were brought into France and a Million more in Emeralds other precious Stones Moveables and Gold and one hundred Brass Pieces of Cannon With this vast Treasure they set Sail from Carthagena but were not long before at about fifty Leagues distance from that place Ponty escaped the English they were met by a Squadron of twenty English Men of War they made a running Fight for two days but on the third the Sieur de Ponty sound means under favour of a thick Mist to alter his Course and to escape the Danger without loosing any thing of his Booty The Expedition made much Noise in all Parts of the World every body standing amaz'd at the Boldness of the Buckaneers it being chiefly owing to their Bravery that this dangerous Expedition was brought to a happy issue tho' carried on with a much less Number of Ships and Men than seem'd proportionable to the Greatness of the Enterprize These Advantages so lately obtained on our side prov'd very instrumental to hasten the Peace The Jealousy which the Confederate Princes had conceived at the King 's good Fortune and Power The General Peace and the hopes of reducing him into more narrow Bounds had been the chief occasion of this War But finding themselves deceived in these great Expectations there was nothing left now but to restore Tranquility to Europe by a solid and durable Peace founded upon the same Basis with that of Nimhegen In this nice Conjuncture the Prince of Orange King William III. acted the Part of a great Politician and finding that the Desires of the People were absolutely bent for Peace he made the first steps towards Accomplishing it and by his Perswasions prevailed upon
the rest of the Confederates to follow his Example Accordingly the Peace was Sign'd with Spain England and Holland on the twentieth day of September and with Germany about six Weeks after Among other Conditions Peace Concluded one was either did propose to the Emperour one was either to keep Strasburgh and to give an Equivalent or else to keep the Equivalent and to restore Strasburgh and that in case the Empire did not within a certain limited Time accept of the Equivalent he would be at his own Liberty to alter the whole Conditions of the Peace The Imperial Cities opposed the Session of Strasburgh and were seconded by most of the Electors who knowing that the Places offered as an Equivalent for Strasburgh must be surrendred into the Emperour's hands were not a Iâ—tâ—le Jealous of this increase of his Power The Circles of Suabia and the Vpper Rhine made their Complaints against it alledging that if our King was left in the possession of Strasburgh they would be forced to keep even in time of Peace a good number of Troops on Foot for their defence against so Potent a Neighbour Whilst these Contests were in agitation in the Empire our King at the Intercession of the Prince of Orange K. William III. granted a further delay that by the Interposition of the said Prince and the Hollanders the Germans might be prevail'd upon to grant the absolute Possession of Strasburgh to him They succeeded so well in this Negotiation that at last this Famous City which had been so long the main obstacle of the Peace was at last surrendred for ever to France Our King restored to Spain all that had been taken from them since the Conclusion of the Peace of Nimeghen The young Duke of Lorrain was restored to his Estate under certain Conditions The Elector of Treves put again into possession of his Capital City of the same Name And to remove for the future all Pretences of Contest betwixt the Empire and France it was agreed that the Rhine should be the common Boundary betwixt these two Nations That France was to remain in Possession of what they had Conquer'd on the other side of this River and to restore or demolish all Places on this side King James II. K. Will. a knowledged as King by France having several times requested our King not to delay any time to put a happy Conclusion to he General Peace of Europe in respect of his particular Interest William III. Prince of Orange was acknowledg'd King of Great Britain by the French Plenipotentiaries Let us trace the most authentick Monuments of Time Let us view the most antient Histories of all Nations to be convinced whether they can furnish us with an Example parallel to the Greatness of our King Will not Posterity stand amazed when they Read that there has been a King in France who alone for ten years together has been powerful enough to carry on a War against so many and great Enemies with such Success France never was fensible of its own Strength till now but it must be confess'd that it is owing to the Conduct of their Prince who knows how to improve it to the best Advantage FINIS ERRATA ' s. PAge 2. for of famous Victories read of two famous Victories p. 3 f. revived r. revive p. 6. f. Clove r. Clou. p. 8. f. Command r. Commands p. 22. f. real Esteem r. so real an Esteem p. 27. f. this Trust r. his Trust p. 57. f. Eruption r. Irruption p. 59. f. into to r. into f. Justice on the Just r. Justice on account of the Just. ibid. on the Dutchy r. upon the Dutchy p. 61. f. but besides the r. but the. p. 70. f. that his r. that by his ibid. f. received r. revived p. 80. f. having a disgust r. having taken a disgust p. 83. f. adjudging r. as judging p. 99. f. hazard r. hazards p. 112. inst of where r. wherein p. inst of Flanders and Spain r. Flanders in Spain p. 118. inst of the Inner Guard r. Rear-Guard p. 121. f. and buries r. and to bury p. 123. f. so strong r. too p. 124. f. to their Charge r. to the Charge p. 126. inst of Port r. Post p. 135. inst of Count Calva r. Count Calvo p. 147. f. himself a brave r. himself as a brave p. 152. f. small and troublesome r. cruel and troublesome p. 156. f. of Glacis and Counter sharp r. Glacis of the Countersharp p. 159. f. some new time r. new ones p. 171. f. Nimiguen r. Nimheguen p. 174. f. whilst they pretended r. whilst others pretended ib. f. Ports r. Parts p. 175. f. Irreconciliable r. Amicable p. 176. f. to Generosity r. of Generosity p. 180. f. to the Souvereign r. to Sovereigns p. 181. f. by King and Council r. by the King and his Council ibid. f. pointed Contests r Point in Contest p. 182. f. which is r. such is p. 187. f. Bishops the r. Bishops and when the. p. 189. f. violent must r. violent means p. 192. f. But the r. But as the. p. 295. f. of the Decision to the Pope r. to the Decision of the Pope p. 197. f. and been read r. and having been ibid. f. not forced r. not only forced ibid. f. giving r. given p. 199. f. this r. his p. 214. f. Wall-court r. Wallcour p. 249. f. Patteroons r. Pontroons p. 252. f. Confusion r. Concussion p. 260. f. was so r. was not come so p. 261. f. Genove r. Genova ib. f. Forest r. Brest p. 262. f. were great r. were no great p. 267. f. Cardaign r. Sardaign p. 268. f. Men with r. Men flush'd with ib. f. that their Enterprizes r. that Enterprizes p. 273. f. or of Prince r. or Prince p. 276. f. who also r. who at p. 279. f. Cologne r. St. Olonne p. 281. f. all common Cattle r. all the Cattle p. 284. f. all that r. at that p. 294. f. actually r. coually ibid. f. Coll. Johnson r. Cardinal Johnson p. 294 f. till he had r. till they had ibid. f. Malehoor r. Melchior p. 302. f. Forts r. Ports p. 302. f. as chiefly r. chiefly