An Impartial Relation of All the Transactions BETWEEN THE Army of the Confederates And That of the French King In their Last Summers Campaign in Flanders With a more particular Respect to the Battle of Fleury The Character of the Generals and the Reasons of that most unhappy Miscarriage With a List of the Great Officers Slain Also Observations on the grand Consultations at the Hague and the New Measures that are taking for the Opening the ensuing Campaign compared with Those of the Last To which are added Brief Instructions and Encouragement to those English Gentlemen that are going over to Serve in the approaching Campaign Also A short Description of the Spanish Netherlands By W. Sawle Chaplain to One of Their Majesties Regments in Flanders Licensed JAMES FRASER And Entred LONDON Printed And are to be Sold by Randal Taylor at the Stationers-Arms 1691. The PREFACE I Never did design that these Papers of mine should be made Publick or be put into the Press They were only Written for the Private Satisfaction of a particular Friend but by his means unknown to me were almost all Printed before I came to understand it However I assure the Reader That this little Pamphlet contains nothing but what was asserted to be True by the best Officers of the Army and what may conduce to encourage the Soldiers of my Country to be Brave against the Common Enemy of the best part of Europe especially of our Nation who was never well Beaten but by the English and which Honour is still I hope reserved for Vs the next Campaign However if the Men of War may not think it worth their while to read it over yet 't is very probable it may afford some Diversion to those who love to be at Quiet at Home and settle Kingdoms over a Dish of Coffee and Beat Armies with a Whiff of Tobacco 'T is not Here in the least my Design nor yet my Capacity to lay open the Faults of the Dutch Cavalry I am almost perswaded those Troopers Man for Man would be too hard for the French And the Saying of a Great Man of War was somewhat severe upon them when he declared That if he had a mind to take a Lease of a Man's Life it should be a Dutch Troopers But I don't doubt but that the last Summers Error will give them more Courage and Skill in This which follows And their a little too hasty Retreat at Fleury will be but as a Recoyl to Rush on upon the French again with greater Violence this Campaign As for the French notwithstanding their outward Boastings and brave Pretences I am sure they are almost at their last Prayers and 't is very hard with them at Home as well as 't is in the Army And notwithstanding their Balls their Masks their Gayeties and Triumphs at Versaile yet Sir Charles Sidley's Speech will reach them There too and that with a Witness viz. That although they seem to look at Court so well in the Face yet the Kingdom in general is Sick at the Heart and though the Courtiers charge those hard Times Arm'd Cap-a-pe yet the poor Countrymen who maintain those Habiliments and can have them are Shot through and through And indeed their Deserters and Refugees which very often come to our Garrisons give a Melancholy Description of the Hardships which their Troops often suffer and would be very well contented to stay with us and take part in our Army but that they can never fashion themselves to live well at ease out of their own Country unless it be at London In a word if there was ever any probability of reducing the French Insolencies it must be now when so many Princes will push so vigorously against them with all their Force this following Campaign And without doubt the Army of Britains which this Year we shall have against them will give them the greatest concern they have met with this long time and I am confident the other Confederate Princes will follow them so close as they will find them to be truly in earnest for the time to come In the mean while let us take notice that Arms and Armies Stores and Arsenals fenced Cities and great Fleets can signifie very little unless Providence shall Bless our Endeavours and there is but one way of obtaining the Aid of the Almighty Arm and that is by Believing in Him with an Obedience to his Will and Holy Laws 'T was an excellent and brave Description which Ovid gives of the Great Hector when he supposes the whole Greek Army to be disordered at his Presence in this Verse Hector adest secumque Deos in Pratia ducit That when Hector came to Battle he had the Gods present with him And truly if so and those were True Gods he had no need to doubt of a Victory for he could not chuse but Conquer So true is that which the Warlike David knew by the best Experience and deeply to be considered by all Christian Soldiers That Blessed are the People whose God is the Lord. A True ACCOUNT of all the Transactions of the last Summers Campaign in the Spanish-Netherlands c. 'T IS none of my business at this time to write the Reasons why so many Princes should be now Armed against the French King Any one who has but little Judgment in Human Affairs or is any way concern'd for the good of his Country must needs know And indeed 't was high time for us of this Nation to take the Alarm and to look to our selves seeing the great Storm which so much threatned others if not timely provided against would fall at last more heavily on us though we seem to be at a greater distance The Emperor the Duke of Savoy the Princes Electors the Princes of Hannover and Lunenburgh the States General the Spanish King and which is more considerable than any one of the rest the King of Great Brittain I say all the Forces of these Princes by Land or Sea have as yet bin so far from making any great Impressions on that one Monarch that he seems as yet to be greater than at first and his Arms thus far have had the Advantage but the first Winners are generally the last Losers And I don't doubt but that their late Braveries and little Successes will be as so many Alarms to awake the Fury of the Confederates and prick them on to early vigorous and pressing undertakings this next Campaign The French indeed are at the beck of one They are very quick and alert for Execution and the great Fortune of their Grand Lewis both open and fraudulent for so long a Time against so many Princes their making War in their Enemies Countries the raising of vast Contributions their burning of Villages and daily Plunders have raised such a Vain-glorious Spirit in their Men of War as to think that nothing can stand before them and that they are as it were born to be Lords of Europe but I am very confident should their
the Spoil and Plunder of the Field to the Conquering French And now a great Consternation was presently spread over all the Netherlands and People began immediately to fear what great Progress the French might make in pursuit of their Victory some thought they would March and Besiege Charleroy which was reported at that time to be but ill Stored Others thought they would press on and follow the broken Army of the States General and most that they would try to force Castanaga but none of these surmises happened the French Army stay'd nigh Three Weeks near the place where they won the Battle They had receiv'd a severe Blow in getting the Victory their Army must be again refreshed and recruited which would take up some time that the Camp-Volant of Castanaga was strong and firm consisting of 13000 strong and could in spight of them retire and joyn Waldeck Immediately upon the Loss of the Battle the States had sent a Passionate Express to the Duke of Brandenburgh who with his Army lay towards the Moselle That he would be pleased to March with all speed and joyn their Army or to lye nigh them to be able to assist on all occasions and those all joyned together would make a Formidable Body The French indeed assay'd if they could to hinder their joyning but it came to nothing the Elector Marching another way than what they imagined In the mean while we the British Brigade were Ship'd on Bilanders at Ghent on the River Scheld and in three or four days came to a place called Vilvord on the Canall of Brussels about two Leagues from the City and not above a Mile and half from the Camp of Prince Waldeck It was not thought convenient for us to take our Posts and to Incorporate in the Army in one Camp but we were alotted a Piece of Ground by our selves at a Village called Park towards the said Castle of Vilvoord This is an Ancient Palace or Cittadel now very Ruinous especially on the Inside and by its Ruines Height Compass and Scituation shows it was the Place of great Personages but in these latter Times 't is very Famous for being the Noble Prison of the Spanish Netherlands If any great Courtier or Lord or any Governor of a Town or considerable Officer of an Army shall be suspected of Falshood or Betraying his Trust he without any noise is presently seized and sent to this Castle where he must undergo strict Imprisonment and a stricter Tryal In former Times they had there a strange Contrivance for a strange suddain and barbarous Execution having a great Wheel in the bottom of the Prison so that the Prisoner being brought into a Room just over it not thinking what might happen perhaps as he sate at Dinner and not at all knowing of his Condemnation the Chamber like a Scene would on a suddain be opened into Two Parts and immediately the Condemned would fall into the under Engine and in a short time be torn to pieces and never be more heard of But this way of Proceeding and Punishment is now left off though still this State Inquisition is very severe and there is but small hopes of any one that is cast into it Here it was that I first saw the Dutch Army this Campaign about five or six days after the Battle The Battallions of Foot looked thin and grievously changed and Brussels was crowed up with Wounded Men The Horse indeed look'd as they were wont and pretty well gathered together as having a far better way of Self-preservation Here we Encamp'd above four Weeks till Prince Waldeck had sent off the shattered Regiments and had received new from the Frontier Garrisons with Cannon Boats Artillery and Waggons as was necessary The Country all about Brussels is exceeding Pleasant and Fruitful the City is large very thick Peopled and full of Coaches and all sorts of Gallantry a la mode of France and the French Language is spoken there by the meanest Tradesmen 'T is very Hilly which in these Countries is a great Rarity The Pallace and the Park stand on the highest Ground and seem to overlook the rest the Park is but little but sweet and beautiful besides Adorned with some of the finest Water-works in Europe There is also the Royal Armory which most Travellers that come into those Parts desire to see wherein are curious rarities and devices in Armour and Trophies and Banners and Standards of the Ancient Earls and Governors of Flanders and Kings of Spain When the Army was recruited and all necessaries made up and every thing put in order about the 23d of July we had orders to March and Encamp'd that day at a place called Overiisk where we of the English joyned the Dutch in order had our Post of Honour on the Right and made a very pretty addition to their Lines Here it was that one might well perceive a very good alteration in the face of our General He look'd sad discontented and pensive after the Battle and was heard to say That he wish'd he also had fallen among so many Brave Men as he had lost at Fleury but that he hop'd GOD had spared him for a greater Revenge so that nothing could have pleased him more at that time than to see his Army again look Vigorous and Strong and himself put into such a condition as to be able once more before the Summer was over to return Monsieur Luxenburgh his former kindness We stayed in this Camp but one Night we Decamped the next Morning and came to a Place a pretty Village called Wauvre where in a most delightful Valley about Three in the Afternoon we came to the Camp of his Electoral Highness the Duke of Brandenburgh and joyned our Armies His Forces consisted of about 5000 Horse and 13000 Foot and Thirty Pieces of Cannon all looking Brave well Cloathed and Warlike a finer Army not to be seen according to their number The Duke with his Dutchess and Two Brothers with the great Officers and Ladies of his Court were with the Army He is very short and crooked as to his Person he is about the Age of Thirty his Face indeed is fine and comely His Brothers Prince Charles and Prince Philip are both Tall and well Shap'd Gentlemen His Court was exceeding Splendid Besides his Guards he hath an hundred French Gentlemen Refugees all well Mounted and Clad in Scarlet with a broad Gold Lace on the Seams every one looking like a Captain They are called his Grand Musqueteers and always attend his Person He had also with him several Ministers of Forraign Princes amongst others was the Honourable Mr. Johnson Envoy from the Court of England Here it was that Prince Waldeck received a Letter from our King that he was Conqueror at the Boyne and was immediately going to Besiege Lymerick and hoped to be with us at the head of our Army in Twenty days upon which news the English Envoy made a most splendid Feast for the Duke and his Dutchess
reported is too much enclin'd to hearken to his General who is said to be now nigh Ninety years old and to be too much decay'd in his Abilities of Mind which were never very Famous therefore our General went but seldom to Council as loath to have a passionate positive Dotage to take place of his Oracles Besides the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands was loath to venture a second Battle and it could hardly be agreed about our Posts of Honour so that after we had staid here about three Weeks and had made the Country look like a Desart which we found almost like a Garden we Marched and came a little nigher the Enemy at a place called Wanbeck not far from hence is the most delightsome Palace and Garden of Enghien belonging to the Duke of Arescot a Place which Art and Nature have both contrived in a most Luxurious manner to make lovely wonderful and almost a Paradice from hence 't is said the French King took his Pattern for his prodigious Contrivances at Versaile Here we staid a considerable time I think above three Weeks and having Eaten up all the Forage that we could possibly get the Winter coming on and the Rains beginning to fall which continues usually this time of the Year almost a Month together The French as well as we thought 't was high time to break up which we did about the middle of October within a little while one of the other Thus our mighty Army which was enough to Fight almost all Europe for a day was broken up for this Season without any other Engagement than that of Wind Rain and bad Weather and we went to our Winter Quarters wet and weary And thus ended the Campaign And here now we may see the great difference that is betwixt an Army the Subjects of one King and under the Command of one Captain General and another which is compounded of several National Interests and under divers Princes which are not subordinate one to another for the one is still ready to Moove to Stand to Execute even at the very Nod and Sign of their Commander whilst the others are disputing about their Posts differing in their Councils and endeavouring to promote their own Interests and Affairs so hard is it to Order so many different Nations to promote one common Good and publick Design This is the only great advantage that the French have against us That Force must needs be very strong and vigorous which is so truly united And I hope the Confederate Princes from the mistakes of the Last will so order their Councils against the Next Campaign that with one Heart and firm Resolution we may Early and Briskly push the War upon the French or else I fear little Progress will be made against so Skilful Politick and well compacted an Enemy Indeed if the King of Great Britain had been able to come at that time that he designed to be with us when he Writ to his General out of Ireland and had Headed our Army we might have made the Enemy look about them for all Disputes would soon be composed by a Crowned Head and all the Generals would easily submit to be Led on by a Great Monarch And I doubt not but this will be our Honour and Happiness this Summer for we shall have an Army of Brittains this following Campaign in Flanders to the number of Twenty Thousand Horse and Foot which with the States Army and the Reputation we have always wone against the French will make a Force Formidable and Glorious and if we are Conducted by our own Warlike King we shall put Monsieur Luxenburgh to his last Shifts notwithstanding all his Skill in Magick or Conjuration And indeed this is the thing which the French King this long while mistrusted The Wisdom Skill and Courage of our KING when but Prince of Orange always gave him a secret Concern and he has bin heard to say as I have been credibly Informed That he more feared the Petit Baron of Breda as his Pride was pleased to Stile him than the Emperor or all the Confederate Princes besides Indeed to our great Scandal and Misfortune we have a sort of People here in England who are Mutinous and Abusive under any Government who are Brave and Daring at Play-Houses and Taverns but would rather see their Country turned into Ruines than honestly Fight for it against an Invading Enemy That rejoyce because Turks and Infidels are helpers of the French That value neither Liberty Religion or Laws nor Honour so their Pockets might be fill'd to satisfie their Lusts These are the Enemies of our Brave King and would pretend to sully the Actions of the best of Princes by their Impotent Railings but let them breath out their black Murmurings till Hemp will permit them to breath no longer 'T is impossible they should hurt his most Glorious Name which long ago has bin Famous over many Nations and Loved Honoured and Esteemed by the greatest Captains and Generals of the Age. He is every where known to have all those Vertues which tend to make a most Renowned Hero He is Just Sober Temperate Wise and Valiant He is such a Prince as a Philoscpher would delight to represent to the World for a Pattern and has not one Quality but what tends to the Greatness Prosperity Honour and Reputation of a Christian Nation He never saw Fear but in the face of an Enemy He has often stared Death in the Face even in its most terrible Postures and has grasp'd at his Laurels through streams of Blood It is not to us alone I mean to the English Nation to whom he hath done the greatest Good The States General the Spanish King the Duke of Brandenburgh with all the other German Princes nay the Emperor himself are all preserved by him and do declare it to the World by the most grateful Testimony that they really are so For if our late King had kept his Post till this time and carried on his Designs with the French King as he had contrived it nay though he had stood neuter or only a Spectator whiles the other should pour his Legions into the Spanish Netherlands we should soon see how like a Deluge they would run into the Provinces swallow up all before them and then what the Neighbouring Princes might expect is easie to be imagined our turn here in England would soon come after our Religion and Laws would first suffer a Convulsion and what might become at last of our Kingdoms in general is easie to be guessed when King James should have trusted him so far They are not only Protestants whom he hath obliged but many other Princes of the Roman Catholick Religion And His Excellency the Marquis d' Castanaga Governor of the Low-Countries when he had receiv'd the News of the King's Success in Ireland was heard to speak these Words with the greatest Affection viz. That he was perswaded King William was Born to be a Scourge to the French
Prince Waldeck and all the Generals and great Officers of the whole Army Where the General made the news publick and was seconded with Drinking of Healths Huzza's Drums Trumpets and Ho-boys Our Army now consisted of nigh 45000 Fighting Men We had no Talk among us now but of Victory and Conquest all Officers fitting and preparing for a Battle by sending all the Baggage they could conveniently spare into the Neighbouring Towns that so we might speedily advance towards the Enemy who were not above Eight Leagues from us And 't was said the Brandenburghers had received Orders neither to give nor take Quarter From hence we removed and Encamp'd at a place called Genap In this place we staid about six days and on the Sunday which was the day before we Decamp'd all the Chaplains of the English and Hollanders received Orders to have particular Prayers and Sermons on the occasion of the King's Victory in Ireland and 't was appointed a day of Rejoycing throughout the whole Army Here it was that I saw the Order of a Triumph in a Field much beyond any that is possible to be represented in the most Pompous Cities On the Sunday Evening a little before Sun-set the whole Army was compleatly drawn up in Battle-Array in Two Lines the Horse on the Right and Left in exact Order with Trumpets sounding Drums beating and Colours flying The Prince and the other Generals of the Army riding up and down and giving particular Orders of the Time and Signals punctually to be observed so that at the shutting up of the day that the Action might look more terrible Comely after the Firing of Seventy Pieces of Cannon there was a running Fire which look'd but as one continued Volley or rather a long rolling Clap of Thunder through both Lines beginning on the Right of the first Line till it came there about again to the second This was done three times with Cannon and Volley which seem'd to rend the very Skies and made the Earth to tremble insomuch as the Enemy might easily hear the sound and judge of the Triumph after which we Camp'd our Arms made the Night a Festival by plentiful Suppers Drinking of the King and Queens Healths and the Grandees of the Army with Huzza's and Musick Here it was that we first heard of another Victory gained by the French under Monsieur Catinat against the Duke of Savoy and Papers Printed at Brussels were Sold up and down the Army of the manner and method of Monsieur Luxenburgh's sending Expresses to the French King of his Fortune in Flanders He had with him in his Army one of the Sons of the Famous Marquess d' Boufflers who was one of the Dauphin's Generals at that time on the Rhine to him he gave the second Honour by sending of him first to Versaile and he was ordered to speak to the King no more than these words Sir They who Fight in your Name cannot chuse but Conquer Your Victorious Genius Reigns throughout the World Your Army with Monsieur Luxenburgh has beaten the Dutch The Grand Prior is at hand to relate the Particulars and among the rest will forget to tell your Majesty That he is an Honour to War and one of the Bravest Men in the World From hence we advanced about Three Leagues towards the Enemy to a place called Segnioria de Bosch or Our Lady of the Woods here we stayed about four or five days and here was the first place that our Talks of a speedy Battle began to abate and the Grandees to disagree in their former Resolutions Not much above two Miles from this Place is a pleasant little City called Nivelle 'T is walled round according to the Ancient Fortification but if 't were Modern it would signifie nothing for it lyes in a Bottom and there are high Hills looking over it on every side In this place are the Church and Cloysters of the Famous Lady's Canonesses of the Order of St. Gertrude who was a Daughter of the Ancient and Noble Family of Trisnie who first settled this Order and Endowed it with large Revenues and no Woman can be Canoness here unless Nobly Born They have no Confinement but to Sing their Prayers four times a day they may Walk or go Abroad Converse with Men and Marry if they like but when Married like Fellows of our Colleges they lose their Collegiate Stipend They are dressed as to the fore Parts all Topping and Modish their Habit is a white Veil hanging from the hinder part of the Head down to the Middle and a long Robe faced with rich Furrs which they may put off if they please when they come from Chappel When in our Marches at any time we come nigh this Place multitudes of the Gentry of the Army flock here to hear them Sing at their Devotion and to drink Wine in their Tavern which they have within the Gate of their Cloysters where by Servants appointed Wine as Champaign and Rhenish is sold by Retail as part of their Revenue From our Lody of the Woods we Marched next to a little Town called Nostre Dame or Our Lady of Hall here was the Head Quarters of the Duke of Brandenburgh and Prince Waldeck had his at a place called Lambeck This was a strong Pass and by our Encamping there an hindrance of the Enemies making Excursions into any of the adjacent parts of the Country Here our Army was encreas'd to a vast bigness for at this Camp we joyn'd the Forces of Castanaga so that our Army reach'd almost five Miles in length and was soberly judged to amount to nigh Six and Fifty Thousand Men strong In this Camp we had very bad Weather much Lightning and Thunder and Rain for nigh six or seven days together so that we could hardly stir all that while out of our Tents unless Booted The French lay Encamp'd at a place called Lessines not far from Valenciennes with an Army very little in number inferior to ours the great Plain of Cambron lay between us from whence Monsieur Luxenburgh sent word by a Trumpet that he there expected to meet us And I am fure our General Prince Waldeck would have accepted the opportunity with all his Heart but the French-man was Satyrical and meant no such thing and had taken care enough to devour and destroy all the Forage that lay in those Plains and every where else before our Army and there was no coming to them with such a Body as ours unless we could come to them without Horse or Waggon or both Men and Horses could live without Meat But however this was not all which might hinder a second Battle the Confederates were at variance in their Counsels The Elector though he be a great Prince yet he is but a young Man and not very much experienced in the Art of War Now from the time that he joyn'd us all Orders were given out at his Quarters the Councils of War were held at his Court And his Electoral Highness as 't is
by the Rules of War But to conclude Our KING now sits Arbiter in one of the most August the most Princely Assemblies that hath bin known these many Ages and if He shall be the fortunate Instrument as I hope He will in making of a Peace or at least-wise a Truce between the Ottomon and the Roman Emperors if He shall lead his own Army next Summer in the Neterlands I don't doubt but that the old hardy German Army on the Rhine and ours on the other side on the Lower Flanders will make such forcible Impressions on the French Territories which is the only thing they have still feared as will soon alter the Title of Lewis le Grand and scatter the People that delight in War FINIS ADDENDA SInce my Writing these Relations there has lately fallen into my hands an Account of the Battle of Fleury Published at Paris by the French King's Order which among other things gives the following particulars of the Slain and Wounded on the French side in the Army Commanded by the Duke of Luxemburgh General Officers Slain The Count de Gournay Lieutenant-General and Governor of Maubeuge The Sieur de Metz Lieutenant-General of the Artillery The Marquis de Villarceaux Mareschal de Camp The Sieur de Sallart Brigadier-General The Sieur le Roach Mareschal de Camp The Marquis de Soicourt Brigadier and Colonel of the Regiment of Vermandois The Sieur de Barillac Mareschal de Camp The Sieur de Fussac Brigadier and Colonel of the Regiment of Vermandois The Sieurs de Fanury Tetu The Chevalier de Soiecort Colonel of the Dauphin's Gens d' Arms. The Sieur de Bellefouriere Colonel of Piedmont The Marquis de Verderonne and The Sieur de Laubespins With Nine Hundred and Forty Subalterian Officers General Officers Wounded the Four last of which are since Dead The Sieur de Vivan and The Sieur de Zimenes both Mareschals de Camp The Sieur de Greder Brigadier General The Count de Albert Son to the Duke de Luynes The Marquis de Livarot The Count de Marchin The Marquis de Movy The Count de la Solre The Sieur de la Riviere The Count de Seaux Colonel of the Regiment of Campaign with many others They own likewise That divers Regiments suffered extreamly in this Fight and particularly the Royal Piedmont those of Picardy Normandie Languedoo Champagne Vermandois the Royal German the Dragoons of Furstemberg and Salbourg the Foot Guards and the Gens d' Arms there remaining of the latter who were 600 before the Battle but 175 and of the Swis Regiment of Stoupa most of the Officers were Killed they also own the losing of Thirty Standards Some further Observation on the Battle of Fleury We must acknowledge That the design of the Confederates was well laid so that if Boufflers had been busied upon the Moselle as it was contrived either the Duke of Luxemburgh would not have ventured a Battle or else he would have hazzarded the loss of it since it was only by Number that he got the advantage he had and not by the Valour of his Soldiers On the other side it is to be presumed That Prince Waldeck would not have run the risk of an Engagement had he been truly informed of the Conjunction so that the first and principal cause of this Misfortune proceeded from this That the Troops of Brandenburgh Munster and Newburgh were not joyned at the Place appointed to divert the French Forces There are some however that will not stick to say That if the Cavalry had done their Duty as well as the Foot the Enemy had been certainly Routed But that was scarce possible by reason of their over-powering number it being apparent that they were very near Three to One By which means as the Hollanders had no Relaxation the French only Fought by turns and never Charged but once whereas the others were constrained to Charge Three times Then again Besides that the Number was so unequal the place of Battle was no way favourable it being a Plain of a large extent wherein the Dutch Army was constrained to Fight altogether whereas had the Place been narrower they might have formed more than Two Lines and have had a Reserve beside which would have in some measure supply'd the inequality of Number In short not to condemn the Cavalry altogether whose Fault perhaps would not have seem'd so great had not the Foot perform'd so well certain it is that they were far more unequal in number to the Enemies Foot than the Dutch Foot to the Enemies Cavalry so that it is not altogether to be wondred that the one gave Ground while the other stood firm to which we may add That they had to do with the King's Horse that is to say with all the Bravest most Undaunted and best Disciplined Men in France Besides that the French Cavalry had more Generals than the Dutch Horse which was a great benefit for the Rallying them when they were broken and which without question was the cause in part that the other could never Rally again After all we have many Reasons to perswade us That this Victory was not so advantagious to the French as they at first gave out and that it cost them much more than they were then willing we should know 'T is certain they tarried a very little while upon the Field of Victory And it is no less true that they were so far from pursuing Prince Waldeck after the Fight as is usual that he had all the leisure he could desire to make a slow Retreat All the Advantages that the French reap'd from this Victory were only these That they put their Enemies to great Expences to Recruit their Army and that they maintain'd themselves in the Spanish Dominions and exacted from thence most heavy Contributions and which is more considerable they gain'd time so that the Campaign was too far spent before their Enemies were in a Condition to attempt any thing considerable against them In the last place some look upon the management of this Action as a thing that shewed the fineness of French Counsel above all other 'T is true indeed that they made use of their Garrisons to gain a Battle and that by that means they supplied the smallness of their Number But unless they were assured of Victory this was a very imprudent course for what would have become of France had the Enemy proved Victorious Her Garrisons would have been unfurnished without knowing where to get more Forces to supply the want of the Slain It was more likely that she might have lost the greatest part and that the Enemy might have broken into the Kingdom putting all before him to Fire and Sword And therefore this Counsel of France will admit of no excuse but by saying they were assured of Victory FINIS