behind them but their Sick The French did not pursue them whether because they were not soon enough aware of their Retreat or because they contented themselves with having obliged them to quit Lorrain They drew off in their Turn on this side the Moselle while the Duke of Lorrain took his Winter Quarters in the Franche-Comte and Galas repass'd the Rhine after he had plunder'd Alsatia To come now to the Affairs of Flanders ever since the beginning of the Year the Cardinal was sensible that the Maxim which he had observ'd till then of not breaking openly with Spain wou'd be for the future disadvantageous to France since she was not at a much less expence to support her Allies than if she had been in an open War and yet made no advances against the Spaniards On the Contrary she had given them an Opportunity by this means to joyn their Forces with those of the Emperour in 1634 which made them gain the Battle of Norlingue and had like to have entirely ruin'd the affairs of the Swedes in Germany several Cities and Princes that furnished the Sweedes with considerable Supplies had thought of nothing ever since but of making their Peace with the Emperour least they should be in a short time irreparably overthrown if they continued to oppose him with so much disadvantage The States General of the United Provinces weary of the War with Spain which had lasted so many years and fearing to be abandon'd by France that wou'd never be brought to declare it self express'd a great inclination to reassume the Negotiation of a Truce which had been broken off out of an Apprehension that the Emperour after he had given Peace to Germany wou'd do the Spaniards the same kindness they had done him that is to say come with a formidable Army into the Low-Countries to help them to re-conquer the Seven Provinces which had with-drawn themselves from their Obedience If it so happen'd that a Peace was concluded in Germany and a Truce in the Low-Countries or that the United Provinces were subdu'd then France which was not in an open Rupture either with the Emperour or the King of Spain might see these Treaties concluded without being comprehended in them because the House of Austria would be in so advantageous a posture at that time what she thought fit to command must not be disputed and Matters being so France which had so long assisted the Enemies of the House of Austria had no reason to doubt that all her Forces wou'd pour down upon her The Ministers of the Emperour and of the King of Spain said aloud in all Places that the French vainly flattered themselves that they should continue in the possession of what they had taken since the Treaties of Querasque and Ratisbone and that they shou'd be forced at last to surrender all For these Reasons the Cardinal thought it the best way to prevent the House of Austria in declaring openly against Spain to hinder her from assisting the Emperour and to give new Life and Vigour to the Hollanders and Swedes To this end he took great pains to form a League against Spain both in Flanders and Italy in order to give her so much Business at home that she shou'd not have leisuro to look abroad and interpose in the Affairs of Germany * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 2â—4 To begin with the League Offensive and Defensive which the King concluded with the States General it was Signed at Paris the 8th of February They obliged themselves to enter upon the Spanish Provinces on two Sides with Twenty Five Thousand Foot and Five Thousand Horse each next May. However the French had inserted this Condition into the Treaty If the Spaniards don't agree to reasonable Terms of Accommodation but it was not doubted but what they christened by the Name of reasonable in France wou'd pass for very unreasonable in Spain so that this Condition was impertinent enough The Conquests were to be parted between them so that the King was to have the Country of Luxemburgh Namur Hainault Artois and Flanders and the Estates the Marquisate of the sacred Empire where Antwerp is the Lordship of Malines the Dutchy of Brabant Hulst and the Country of Dam. To perswade the Inhabitants of the Low Countries to an insurrection it was resolv'd to invite them to joyn with the Confederates in turning out the Spaniards with a promise to restore them to their Liberty which being performed within the three first Months the Spanish Provinces were to remain united in one Body as a free State with all the Rights of Sovereignty It was agreed that they shou'd act conjointly and that Frederick Henry Prince of Orange shou'd command the two Armies United in quality of Generalissimo and shou'd give the Word unless the Duke of Orleans or the Cardinal should be there in Person So the King sent Orders to the Mareschal de Chatillon and de Brezé who had the command of the Army that was designed for the Low-Countries to meet at Mesieres the 28th of April to go and joyn the Dutch Army near Maestricht the 12th of May. Charnace had long Conferences with the Prince of Orange upon what measures they were to take The French were desirous to find out the Enemy and fight him fearing to lose too much time in besieging of places and the Hollanders chose rather to undertake the Siege of some Town without hazarding a Battel At this time the Dutch understood the manner of besieging of Places better than the French and the French were fitter to give Battle After a long debate they only came to this Conclusion to enter the Low-Countries to Luxemburg and for the rest to leave it to the discretion of the Generals to regulate what was fit to be undertaken so soon as the Armies were joyn'd This Treaty was to be kept secret till the very time of execution when France shou'd declare War against Spain upon occasion of the several infractions which the Spaniards had made of the peace of Vervins although the French had done no less on their Side In the Interim the Spaniards happen'd to surprise Triers and carried away the Arch-bishop Prisoner as has been already observed The Cardinal thought he cou'd never find a more plausible Pretence to declare War against the Spaniards than the forcible detaining of a Prince who had put himself under the protection of France He therefore ordered d' Amontot * The 21st of April Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8 p. 230. the Resident at Brussels to demand the liberty of the Elector of Triers of the Cardinal Infanta who was come thither the last year from Germany and of the Marquiss d' Aylone They both answered they could do nothing in this Matter till they knew what was the Emperour's Pleasure about it They took this answer in France for a down right Shift because they had had time enough to send to the Court of Vienna and receive an Answer since the taking of the
to have six thousand Men and a Supply of Money from Spain but the Sum which he received from them did not amount to above fifty thousand Crowns and it was late enough before it was remitted to him As for their Succours of Men they came not at all So that when Monsieur entred into Languedoc he was not in a condition to oppose the King's Forces Nevertheless there was a necessity to receive him and he entred into Lunel on the 13th of July after having secured some few Places to himself He had a considerable sum of Money at his Palace in Paris which he expected to receive in a short time but the Court having had notice of his Designs stopped it so that Monsieur 's Party was in a manner destitute of every thing and when the King begun his March to go and joyn Mareschal Schomberg who followed the Duke of Orleans he was not in a condition to make a long resistance if the Royal Armies had been once joyned together Monsieur had then Two thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse with abundance of Voluntiers and Three Pieces of Canon And Mareschal Schomberg had not yet above a Thousand Foot and Twelve hundred Horse without Artillery The Mareschal being advanced near to Castelnaudarry drew up his Troops in Battel on the First of September the Enemy being not far from him Whether the Duke of Montmorency was desirous to open the Campagne with some Action that might give reputation to his Party or whether he judged it expedient to fight the Royal Army while they were inferiour to him in number he took upon himself the Command of the Van of the Army and Monsieur that of the Main Body * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 7. p. 555. Aubery Lib. 4. c. 31. Pontis Memcirs p. 2. p. 26. Having put himself at the head of the Counts of Moret of Rieux and of Feuillade he resolved to go and support the first Files who were ordered to possess themselves of an Advantageous Post The Count de Moret was the first who fell upon the King's Horse and put them into disorder and Montmorency perceiving it pour'd in full speed with very few Men and forgetting to discharge the part of a General he exposed himself to all the dangers of a Private Souldier and fought with extraordinary bravery Upon this some Foot who were laid in an Ambush in the Ditches suddenly got up and made their Discharge so fortunately that the Counts of Moret of Rieux of Feuillade and several Officers were killed and the Duke of Montmorency wounded in several parts of his Body He might have withdrawn himself if at the same time his Horse being wounded had not dropt down under him so that a little while after he was made Prisoner and carried to Lectoure The rest of Monsieur's Army seeing themselves deprived of a considerable number of the Principal Officers in stead of being animated to a revenge of their death or going to free them from the hands of their Enemies retired without fighting Not long after the Foot were wholly dispersed and Monsieur retired with his Horse to Beziers while some Towns that had declared for him returned to their former Allegiance and Duty The Duke of Orleans now begun to give great marks of Repentance for having engaged himself so far in an affair out of which he could not disengage himself with Honour and Bullion who after some Negotiations to no purpose went to see him from the King obliged him in a few days to Sign an Accommodation against the Mind of the greatest part of his Domesticks The chiefest difficulty which lay in the way was concerning the Duke of Montmorency whom Monsieur would absolutely have restored to the enjoyment of his Liberty Honours and Estate * Seâ— Gaston's Letter to the King dated from Montereau the 13th of Nov. 1632. in the Hist of Lewis XIII by Ch. Bernard Lib. 16. Bullion told this Prince That the best and onely way he had to obtain what he requested was to submit himself wholly to the King's Will that to desire an assurance of it would be a Provocation to him and an offence to that Trust he ought to have in his Clemency That this being a Pardon which was wholly to redound to the King's Glory he wrong'd the Duke of Montmonency in not leaving it at His Majesty's Disposition that the blind obedience he show'd the King upon this occasion ought to put him out of fear and give him hopes as certain as he could desire These Discourses of Bullion perswaded the Duke That he had Orders from the King to speak to him in this manner and hindred Gaston from drawing any positive word for the liberty of the Duke of Montmorency Whether Puilaurens and the rest whose Advice Monsieur required in every thing were not sorry to see the Duke of Montmorency sacrificed or whether they did not perceive the Artifice of Bullion certain it is that they committed in this occasion a prodigious fault which discredited their Party for good and all Thus did it appear evidently by Monsieur's Conduct that those who Govern'd him were not able to deceive any body but himself They could easily bring him to shew his Dissatisfaction against the Court but knew not to re-establish his Affairs upon a solid foundation nor to put themselves into a condition to improve to their advantage that exceeding power they had over his Inclinations The Treaty of Accommodation * Hist of Lewis XIII by Ch. Bernard Lib. 16. was to this effect That Monsieur should acknowledge his Fault in Writing and desire the King to Pardon him That he should give all reasonable and possible assurances not to commit any such transgression for the future That in order to this he should Promise to leave all sorts of Cabals in and out of the Kingdom and under no pretence and in no manner whatsoever to Maintain any Intelligence with the Spaniards Lorrainers or other Princes nor with the Queen-Mother while she continued in her present Circumstances nor with any body in the Kingdom against His Majesty's good pleasure and to remain where His Majesty should be pleased to appoint him and to live there as a true Brother and Subject That he should not concern himself for those who had joyned with him in these occasions to promote their own Affairs at his Cost and the prejudice of the Nation and should not pretend to have occasion of complaint given him if the King at any time should punish them as they deserved out of which number were excepted his Domesticks who were then with him That he should not demand any particular Pardon for those Strangers who Accompanied him but that the King out of his meer bounty and goodness should grant them six days to withdraw into Rousillon That he should fill the vacant Offices of his House and among the rest namely that of Chancellour with Persons nominated by the King and if His Majesty was displeased with any of them he should
the Duke of Savoy in the Body of the Battel and the Duke of Parma in the Rear The Enemy had taken no care to entrench themselves thinking that the French durst not stir out of their Lines to meet an Army stronger than their own and they began already to retire when they were attacked Crequi had the Right and the Duke of Savoy commanded on the Left The Attack began on the Duke's side with a great deal of Vigour although they had not sent to observe the ground where the Enemy lay They were beaten back into the Vineyards where their Infantry was posted and they disputed the ground very weakly when Crequi upon a false Information sent word to the Duke of Savoy that the Spaniards were entrenched on the other side and superiour to them in number upon which he did not think it safe to push it on any farther This occasioned Victor-Amadeo who had already dislodged the Spanish Infantry out of the Vineyards to sound a Retreat and lose a fair opportunity of beating the Enemy It is reported that Crequi suspected that the Duke of Savoy only designed to engage him to suffer him afterwards to be cut in pieces and that for this reason he did not attack them He retired likewise at the same time and the Spaniards who looked upon themselves as good as beaten were surprized to see the Enemy abandon of their own accord an Enterprize which had begun so well This News they learn'd of the Prisoners but then it was too late for after this the Spaniards entrenched themselves and were always upon their Guard Nor was this all for they threw fresh Succours into the City through a place where the Lines of Circumvallation were not compleated and where the Savoyards did not make any manner of resistance Another Supply enter'd the Town by the Po after which the Rains that usually fall in the Autumn incommoded the Besiegers The Army which was otherwise exceedingly weakned by Weaknesses and Desertions and the mutual jealousies between the Duke of Savoy and the Mareschal de Crequi still increasing they began to talk of raising the Siege as they did the next day leaving their Canon and part of their Baggage behind them The Generals drew off complaining one of another and that the Milaneze which they had wisely shared between themselves before-hand still continued in the Hands of the Spaniards The Cardinal who had believed the Conquest of it to be a matter of small Difficulty was exceedingly concerned at the ill success of this enterprize and the reciprocal Accusations of the Duke and the Mareschal which afterwards came to him gave him but little Consolation Crequi accused the Duke with holding private Intelligence with the Spaniards and the Duke made it appear that the Mareschal had undertaken this Siege with too small an Army and show'd no Conduct in the whole Affair whatever Bravery he might otherwise have He that was the most in Danger was the Duke of Parma whose Territories lay exposed to the revenge of the Spaniards He complain'd that he was the only Person that had observed the Treaty both in regard to the number of his Troops the time appointed and to his Zeal in executing with Vigour the projects that had been concerted in the Council of War To prevent the ruine of the Duke of Parma and frustrate the other designs of the Spaniards the Troops of France took their Winter Quarters in Italy and were distributed into several Garrisons Thus the Cardinal 's great Expectations of conquering the Dutchy of Milan vanish'd on the sudden although 't is certain that he cou'd not have chosen a fitter time for this enterprize if it had been well executed for the King had made himself Master of the Passes of the Valteline beforchand to hinder any Troops from coming to the assistance of the Spaniards out of Germany * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 216. The Duke of Rohan who was in Alsatia had Orders in the Spring to go into Switzerland there to take Six Thousand Men and four Troops of Horse and conduct them into the Valteline in order to possess himself of that Country and to defend it with the Forces which were there already Being ready to march cross the Country of the Protestant Cantons he writ to Du Landé who commanded three Regiments of French there and as many of the Grisons to make himself Master of all the Passes of the Valteline which he very happily executed on the 13th of April so that neither the Spaniards nor the little Cantons cou'd possibly hinder it Soon after the Duke of Rohan arrived there and began to work upon the Fortifications of those Posts which they had seized The King of Spain being informed of this Invasion sent to demand assistance of the Emperour who dispatched Orders to Galas to send a Detachment of his Army into Tirol and from thence into the Valteline to joyn the Troops of Spain that were to force their Way there on the side of the Milaneze Galas detach'd Eight Thousand Men under the Baron de Fernamond Serjeant de Bataille who being arrived in Tirol attack'd the Pass of the Valteline on that Side in the Month of November The Duke of Rohan received him with Four Thousand Men and the French Infantry charged the German Horse with that Fury that they routed them and put the Army to Flight Fernamond lost Two Thousand Men upon the Spot besides Prisoners and retired towards Tirol Soon after he received a Reinforcement of Three Thousand Men and Serbellon entred the Valteline on the side of Milan and advanced towards Sondrio The Duke of Rohan thought it adviseable to march against the latter before the Recruits of Fernamond were in a Condition to Act. To this end he marched all Night from the 13th to the 14th of November and having met Serbellon at Morbegno where he had intrench'd himself he attack'd him kill'd him Fifteen Hundred Men and took all his Baggage The next Day he returned to Bormio lest Fernamond shou'd take any advantage of his Absence By this Action he hindered a considerable Relief from entring into the Milaneze and falling upon the Allies of France This was the only advantage that turned to any account with France obtain'd against Spain this first Year of the War While France was thus employed by Land in Italy in Germany and the Low-Countries the Spaniards had a design to attack her by Sea and to make a descent upon Provence But their Fleet being severely shattered by Tempests they only seized upon the Isles of St. Margaret and St. Honorat where they left a Garrison and some Men to build two Forts This Acquisition might serve to incommode the Trade of Provence and to facilitate a descent upon the Continent but it was a difficult matter to keep these Islands so that the Spaniards were no great gainers by this Exploit year 1636 Chancellor d' Aligre being Dead the King conferr'd this Dignity upon Pierce Leguier as he had formerly
league of his Camp before the Mareschal's Guards perceiv'd it as he marched the next day towards the River expecting the Enemy might attempt to pass it he found to his surpize that their Army marched towards him near the Wood of Marfee He immediately put himself in Battel array in very good order while the Enemy did the same in a place too narrow and much less advantageous so that in all probability they would be beaten The Mareschal's Right Wing began the Battel with some advantage but the Cavalry of the Left Wing possest by I know not what sort of a pannic fear turn'd back upon their own Foot whom they put into disorder so that the Royal Infantry being attackt by the Princes was broken after some resistance and fled with the Horse which it was impossible to perswade to rally again This movement carried away the Right Wing and the Mareschal was oblig'd to retreat as the rest had done Whilst the other part of the Army fled in this manner the Regiment of Rousillon and two Companies of Horse of the Queen Mother with that of Monsieur who were in a manner the only Troops that did any service pierced to the very place where the Count de Soissons was This Prince seeing his men give way marched directly to the Enemy to sustain the shock and as he expos'd himself like a common Souldier he was wounded with a Pistol-shot in his Face which penetrated his Head so he fell down dead at his Horse's feet Some say it was a Souldier belonging to the Company of Monsieur who shot him without knowing him others that it was one of the Count 's own Guards However it was these three Companies of Horse that had the bravery to combat a victorious Enemy were intirely cut in pieces The Royal Army lost five hundred men the rest escaping with that haste into the neighbouring Woods that the Enemy could not follow them Nevertheless there were two thousand taken Prisoners and among them several Officers of note The Malecontents did also gain the Cannon all the Baggage and lost but very few men But the death of the Count de Soissons which dispirited the whole party was infinitely more fatal to them than the victory was advantageous The Mareschal de Chatillon retir'd to Rethel where he stayed to pick up the remainder of his Army and the Mareschal de Breze to whom he was by no means well affected was * The 15 of July sent to command with him in order to mortify him because he had transgressed his Orders In the mean time Lamboi took Dunchery which made a gallant resistance but being not fortified was obliged to surrender The Royal Army being reinforced by several Bodies was on the march when the King arrived thither to retake this place which he * The 31 of July reduced in two days Lamboi not daring to oppose him At last as they put all things in readiness to go and attack Sedan unless the Duke made an accommodation suddenly he thought it not convenient to wait the consequences of a Siege The King granted to the Duke and to all those of his party * See it in the Mem. of Aubery T. 2. l. â—36 and the â—â—ticle◠〈…〉 Saâ— Mâ—â— I. 2. l. 1. p. 15. Letters of Pardon and a neutrality to the principality of Sedan that it might not be exposed to the excursions of the Spaniards However Lamboi went to joyn the Imperial Army near Aire as I have already observed The Duke came in person to Dunchery to make his Obeisance to his Majesty there and 't is reported that the Cardinal so highly esteem'd his conduct in this whole affair that he said That if it had not been a Rebellion he would have preferr'd it to all the undertakings of the famous Spinola Thus our fortunate Minister faw a terrible storm which threatned his head and which broke out at first in a signal victory to scatter of it self by the death of one of his greatest Enemies But notwithstanding this the Duke of Bouillon did not become his friend as we shall see in the history of the following year year 1642 The Bishop of Nice * Sir Mer. T. 2. l. 1. p. 362. and the other Agents of the Cardinal of Savoy and Prince Thomas his Brother obtained after a long negotiation at Madrid that better care should be taken to assist these Princes than had been done the last Campaign They granted to the Cardinal provisions of all sorts as much as should last a year for the County of Nice together with the pensions they had promis'd him and his Brother Particular Orders were dispatched to the Count de Sirvela Governour of Milan to furnish these Princes exactly with what they had promis'd them But as Prince Thomas was to be General in Chief of the Spanish Army and to share authority with Sirvela the latter who envied the great advantages of this Prince forgot nothing which might render him suspected to the Court of Madrid not remembring the Interests of the Crown which required that this Prince should be well used who was able to do a great deal of mischief to France and was the only person capable to command the Spanish Army in Italy The Governor of Milan sent his accounts to Madrid by which it appeared that the Princes of Savoy were much in debt to the Treasury of Milan so far was he from putting the Court in mind of the arrears of their pensions Altho Count Masserati Agent to Prince Thomas very plainly discover'd the gross falsity of these accounts yet the Count-Duke prepossest in Sirvela's behalf would not listen to him The Princes of Savoy having received this news from Madrid thought now of accommodating themselves in good earnest with France and to do it the more handsomely they sent to acquaint the Count de Sirvela that the King of France was ready to surrender all the places he held in Piedmont to the Duke of Savoy provided the Spaniards would do the same on their side The Count made answer that he had no power to treat about an affair of that consequence which gave the Princes a plausible occasion to renew all the complaints they had made against the Ministers of Spain and to say particularly that the Spaniards had a design to strip the House of Savoy and not to assist it against France as they had pretended Several Negotiations passed upon this and some other difficulties between the Princes of Savoy and the Count but at last the Spaniards not giving them that satisfaction they demanded they made their accommodation with France and with the Dutchess of Savoy which was concluded at Turin * Ib. 615. on the 14th of June To effect it with more security they caus'd a report to be spread before hand that the French went to besiege Trino in Montferrat and pray'd Sirvela to send some men thither with all possible speed The Count suffering himself to be intrapt drew out the Spaniards
a Royal Army and as there was an appearance of Danger to expose His Majesty's Person there he was disswaded from it and indeed the Event shew'd that it was not without good reason However when he heard of the Retreat of his Army * The 24th of August he cou'd not be hinder'd from †going to S. Disier upon the Frontiers of Champagne although the Cardinal tarried at Paris expecting that he would not travel far But instead of stopping at S. Disier he enter'd into Lorrain and with a few Troops gathered up and down in Champagne of whom the Count de Soissons had been declared General he went to besiege S. Mihel a small place of no Defence which some Lorrain Soldiers had Taken and Defended four days against him after which they were constrained to surrender at discretion It was observ'd †Siri Ibid. p. 339. that after the Taking of this Place the King having held a Council of War would not suffer the Count de Soissons to assist at it though no one knew the true Reason of it it was not doubted but that some Advice from the Cardinal occasion'd it In the mean time the Cardinal was extreamly * Aubery 's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 16. incommoded with the Hemorrhoids but after the Application of Causticks he was soon freed from his pain During his Majesty's Expedition the Army of Germany arriv'd at Metz and to re-inforce it Orders were sent to the Mareschal de la Force and to the Duke of Angoulême to send their Troops to the Cardinal de la Valette They encreas'd it still from all Parts with all the Troops they cou'd get together so that now the Cardinal found himself stronger than Galas although the Duke of Lorrain had joyned him Thus the Duke of Weimar and the Cardinal were ordered to bring him to a Battle if possible or to cut off his Provisions but above all to hinder him from making any Excursions in Champagne But this General being advantageously incamped and intrench'd so that there was no way to force him was not willing to run any hazard He hop'd to be soon joyn'd by a Body which the Duke of Lorrain commanded but more that the Cardinal de la Valette's Army would lessen by frequent desertions so soon as the cold Rains of the Autumn began to fall This King's Person being unnecessary in these Places and indeed not out of imminent dangers since the Enemy was not above fifteen Leagues off he was advised to return home sooner than the Cardinal wou'd have had him there * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 339. See also the Q. Mother 's Letter to the Pope dated the 7th of December in Aubery's Life of the Card. Lib. 4. c. 54. 'T is reported that the Count de Carmail Maréschal de Camp in the Army of Cardinal de la Valette told the King who asked him his Advice what was best for him to do in this Conjuncture That his Majesty expos'd himself too much that he might be taken Prisoner by the Duke of Lorrain if he did not speedily return to St. Disier and that Jean de Werth who had lately come to observe his Quarters marched with Six Thousand Horse to put this Enterprize in Execution For this good Council the Count de Carmail was made a Prisoner at the King's Return and sent to the Bastile Upon this and other Informations the King resolved to go back into France but to cover his Retreat with some specious pretence he gave out that he wou'd go to Langres to cut off the Duke of Lorrain's Provisions that came to him from the Franche-Comte But as soon as he was in Champagne he took the Road directly to St. Germain where he arrived on the 22d of October The Cardinal who was at Ruel went to meet him as far as Nully which is within a League of that Place and was extreamly well receiv'd The King stopt at Ruel to hold a Council there and the Cardinal went the next day to St. Germain where he had another long Conference with him At his Return to Ruel he caus'd the Count de Carmail to be apprehended there by his Guards and sent him to the Bastile under a pretence of not having perform'd his Duty so well as he ought The same Day the Cardinal told the Count de Soissons that his Majesty was very much displeased with him and that it would be his best way to absent himself from the Court for some time which the Count immediately did and retired to a Country House near Fontainbleau They took away from him at the same time his Title of General which had been conferr'd upon him and this the Cardinal did by way of revenge upon the Count because he had dexterously excused himself from marrying his Niece but soon after the Cardinal to show what an absolute ascendant he had over the King gets the Count to be recalled and procures him the Command of the Army of Champagne Some days after the King's Return the Duke of Weimar's †The 27th of October Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 340. Agent at Paris made a new Treaty for his Master and for the rest whose Troops he commanded By this Treaty the King oblig'd himself not to make any Treaty without the Allies of Germany and the Duke promised the same thing in Relation to the King Weimar likewise engaged to have Twelve Thousand Foot and Six Thousand Horse in Germany with Artillery necessary upon Condition that the King wou'd cause to be paid to him Four Millions of Livres a Year that if in fighting he happen'd to lose this Army the King shou'd raise him another and that if he was taken Prisoner he shou'd take the same Care of him as of one of his own Generals By a secret Article the King promised him the Title of Landgrave of Alsatia and Fifty Thousand Crowns Pension for ever In the mean time all the Troops being got together under the Command of the Cardinal de la Valette which formed together an Army of Forty Thousand Men advanced towards Vic to oblige Galas and the Duke of Lorrain that were intrench'd at Dieuse to abandon that Post or cut off their Provisions and Forage on the side of the Moselle These two Generals already felt an extream scarcity of Hay and Oats as well as Victuals but their Army being accustomed to suffer did not disperse for that On the Contrary the Army of France that wanted nothing was sensibly lessen'd by desertions and that only for the cold Weather But this excessive scarcity causing Distempers in the Imperial Army Galas was obliged to go out of his Camp with his Horse and over-run Alsatia and the Country of Triers no one being able to hinder him from whence he sent store of Victuals to the Camp after which his Troops that had stay'd there all this while to make Head against the French retired in good Order into Alsatia without leaving any thing
inconsiderable so that after they had vigorously opposed two Assaults of the Spaniards they were cut off at the third The Prince of Orange wou'd have fain got thither before the Enemy had thrown any more Men into the place and begg'd the French Mareschals to assist him but the Spaniards made such haste to supply it with Men and Provisions that he arrived too late and he judg'd it was impossible to reduce it by force So he undertook to make himself Master of the Fort by Famine and block'd it up almost a whole Year before it surrender'd Several Rencounters happen'd between the two Armies near this Fort but there was no decisive Action Afterwards the Cardinal-Infanta went to fortifie Genap by the means of which place he greatly incommoded the Garrisons of Venlo Ruremonde and Maestricht All the World was surprized that an Army of forty thousand Men as was that of the Prince of Orange and the Mareschals of France durst not attack that of the Cardinal-Infanta which had but half the number and was still disheartned by the Defeat of Avein †Siri Mem Rec. T. 8. P. 329. * Some ascribe it to Jealousie of State but others pretend that the Prince of Orange who was skilful at forming a Siege was afraid to run the risque of a Battel Nay some people add That if he had only lodged himself upon the Banks of the Rhine between Cleves and the Fort of Schenk he might have reduced it in ten days but he was so much afraid that the Spaniards wou'd oblige him to fight them that he came into the Betawe with his Army to cover them from any such Attempt 'T is true indeed he hinder'd the Spaniards at the same time from piercing too far into the Territories of the States which wou'd have caused a prodigious Disorder Cardinal Richlieu was now sensible that the Design of entring the Low-Countries by the way of Luxemburg which was the opinion of the two Mareschals was ill grounded by reason of the great distance of the Frontiers of France and that it had been much better to attack Dunkirk as the Prince of Orange had advised But now it was too late to remedy this fault The King who was made at first to expect Miracles from this great Enterprize was mightily concerned that it succeeded so ill although care was taken to conceal a great part of their Losses from him It so fell out that a Gentleman whom the Prince of Orange sent to him having informed him of the particulars he fell into an excessive passion against Bouthillier called him a Lyer and forbid him to open any Packet but in his presence This sate so hard upon him that his Minister fell sick upon it and the Cardinal himself appear'd very pensive about it At last they were ordered to save the rest of the Army as well as they cou'd but especially the Horse Charnacé who came from the Army to Paris was ordered to return into Holland to endeavour to conduct it from thence While the Cardinal thus treated with the States-General about the manner of attacking the Spaniards in the Low-Countries the President de Bellievre Ambassadour Extraordinary to the Princes of Italy formed a League with some of them to fall on the Milaneze and to defend the Liberty of Italy against the Spaniards The Dukes of Savoy of Mantua and Parma engaged themselves in this League for three years but the other Princes of Italy wou'd not be concerned in it Besides the Troops which the King kept on foot in the Valteline as we shall see in the series of the History * See the whâ—le Treaty in Siri Mem. Rec. T. â— â— 252. It was signed the 11th of July he obliged himself to send twelve thousand Foot and five thousand five hundred Horse against the Spaniards The Duke of Savoy promised six thousand Foot and two thousand two hundred Horse the Duke of Mantua three thousand Foot and three hundred Horse and the Duke of Parma four thousand Foot and five hundred Horse Every one was to maintain his own Troops till the End of the War and in case the Spaniards augmented the number of their Forces the Confederates were to raise a fourth part more than they had before It was concluded that the Duke of Savoy shou'd command the Army and in his Absence the General of the French Forces which Station was to be possessed by the Mareschal de Crequi They had likewise agreed about the Division of the Milaneze if it shou'd be conquered After this League was signed Siri ibid. p. 292. the Mareschal entred into the Territories of Spain on the 29th of August with the French Troops and having taken some inconsiderable Places he went to invest Valence upon the Po without any Orders from the King or the Duke of Savoy Edward Duke of Parma took the Field the next day assisted by an experienc'd French Captain whose name was de la Marne whom Mareschal de Crequi had sent to direct him He joyned him soon after after he had routed a small Body of Spaniards that pretended to oppose his March The Duke of Savoy made a longer stay before he came to the Rendezvouz and as the Siege of Valence was not as yet perfectly formed the Spaniards had an opportunity to throw four thousand Men into the Town commanded by the Marquiss de Celada to reinforce the Garrison Francis del Cardine was Governour of this place assisted by Captain Spadini a Man of great Courage and Conduct After this the Duke of Savoy sent his Troops to the Camp and the Mareschal began to carry on the Siege he imagined that he shou'd be able to carry the Place in a few days although the Besieged sallied out continually and added some new Works to the ancient Fortifications In the mean time the Duke of Parma's Men who had never been in any War before daily diminished and as for the Duke of Savoy he made some difficulty of going in Person to this Siege as being undertaken against his Advice and begun by another The Mareschal de Thoiras out of Envy to Crequi disswaded him from going thither but at last at the Instances of Emery Ambassadour of France at Turin he arrived at the Camp on the 13th of October and after he had visited the Works he was of opinion that the Siege wou'd come to nothing and in truth this unhappy Misunderstanding between them ruined all their Designs The Mareschal having received Advice that the Spanish Army commanded by Don Carlo Colonna was on their March to endeavour to raise the Siege sent to desire the Duke to order his Men to pass the Po that so they might fight the Enemy before they were intrenched at Frescarolo But the Troops of the Duke passed so slowly that they were forced to send them back the next day It was still believed that it wou'd be their best way to go and attack the Spaniards so the Army marched forward the Mareschal being in the Vanguard
espouse him so vigorously that the Pope was forced at last to lay down his Pretensions and treat with him He had Orders * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 426. to recommend Father Joseph as from the King to his Holiness for a Cardinal's Cap. But besides that the person of this Capuchin was not very acceptable at the Court of Rome the Pope made a Difficulty to confer the Purple upon a Capuchin because that the Cardinal of St. Honorio his Brother who had been a Capuchin pretended that he was the only person of his Order that enjoyed that Honour The Pope insisted upon this That after he had given a Cap to one Capuchin it wou'd be demanded for others of the same Order as was already done and so that Body which at present was so well regulated wou'd be corrupted by ambitious Thoughts with which abundance of Capuchins wou'd be possess'd that wou'd begin to pretend to the chief Dignities of the Church The Mareschal was very liberal in his Commendations of Father Joseph but was not able to procure any thing in his favour for the Pope still persisted in the same Reasons whatever Arguments were brought to perswade him to the contrary Before the Armies cou'd take the field the Duke of Parma resolved to come to Paris to recommend himself to the King and Cardinal He was * The 16th of February Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 389. received with all Demonstrations of Kindness and was lodged in the Louvre in the Queen-Mother's Apartment †Ibid. p. 394. The Duke of Weimar came thither at the same time and lay at the Arsenal and though he was entertain'd with a great deal of Respect yet they did not treat him like the Duke of Parma who was received in the Quality of a Sovereign Prince This caused a little Discontent at first but it was soon over the Duke of Weimar having otherwise sufficient Reason to be well satisfied with the Cardinal The Duke of Parma obtained leave of the King to command a small Army which the Duke of Savoy was to furnish him with in Quality of his Majesty's Lieutenant In his Absence the Spaniards and the Duke of Modena made some Incursions into his Territories and made themselves Masters of some small places those Troops which the Duke of Parma had on foot assisted by some of the French and the Duke of Savoy not being able to defend them * The 18th of March. Siri ibid. P. 396. For this reason he parted in all haste from Paris to give necessary Orders for their Defence and at his Arrival into Italy he desired the Duke of Savoy to send him instantly a strong Detachment to beat the Enemy out of his Country and to revenge himself upon the Duke of Modena but the Troops which they expected out of France having not passed the Mountains as yet it was impossible to satisfie him And now all the World began to condemn the Duke of Savoy for having so rashly declared against Spain upon the Chimerical hopes which the Cardinal had given him to put him in possession of part of the Milaneze so soon as it was conquered He found it to be true upon this occasion That a neighbouring Enemy is infinitely more prejudicial than a Friend afar off can be serviceable to us although his power is in no respect inferiour to that of the Enemy Nevertheless the King at the earnest Instances of the Duke of Parma †The 16th of April sent to the Duke of Savoy to take the Field with all Expedition to go and relieve him since none of the Princes of Italy wou'd favour the League if they saw the Members of it abandon one another The Duke of Savoy resolved to satisfie the King and wou'd needs carry the Mareschal de Thoiras with him for whom he had a particular Friendship although the Cardinal kept him as it were banish'd at Casal without giving him any Employment Upon this there happen'd some Disputes between Crequi and him which his Majesty soon ended by giving the Preference to Crequi who was the King's Lieutenant whereas Thoiras served in the same Post under the Duke of Savoy In the mean time the Spaniards and the Duke of Modena fortified themselves in the places which they had taken in the Duke of Parma's Country The Marquiss de Leganez to whom the King of Spain had lately given the Government of Milan placed the principal Troops of Spain at Novara at Pavia at Alexandria and in the Neighbourhood and threw a Bridge over the Po at Girola by which the three Bodies into which their Army was divided might have free Communication one with another in order to hinder the Duke of Savoy from coming into the Duke of Parma's Country On the other side after several hot Contests between the Leaders who agreed no better this Campaign than they did the former it was concluded to accompany the Duke of Parma to the Frontiers of his Dominions with the whole Army and to lend him six thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse to beat his Enemies out of it and at the same time to fortifie themselves upon the Tesin and get Oleggio into their hands that they might be in a condition to have a Communication with the Forces of the Valteline Several Difficulties arose in the execution of this Design occasion'd by the Misunderstanding of the Leaders and by the Duke of Savoy's Neglect to furnish the Army with a sufficient number of Boats to pass the Rivers so that if the Spaniards had understood Military Affairs they had more than once found an opportunity to ruin the Army of the Confederates but they took the Irresolutions and false Steps of the French for so many Stratagems At last they came before Oleggio the 14th of June and the next day Crequi made himself Master of this place which surrendred in an instant Three hundred Horse that were sent towards the Tesin to seize the Boats upon which they were to pass found that they were on the other side but the French Commandant who had ordered the Carabineers of Montferrat to wear red Scarfs made the Boatmen believe they were Troops in the Service of Spain that were pursued by the French and having by this Artifice perswaded them to bring their Boats on his side they soon made themselves Masters of them By this Trick and by the means of some other Boats which the Duke of Savoy had commanded to be brought thither they passed the River and the Mareschal de Crequi being come up to them they began to make a Retrenchment to cover the Bridge which they designed to make in this place The Duke of Savoy marched at the same time to Fontanct which upon his Arrival he found to be stronger than he believed Thoiras invested it and ordered a Battery of four Pieces of Cannon to play upon the Town but as he stood too near this Battery * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 411. History of Mareschal Thoiras
Lib. 3. towards the end a Musquet-ball hit him full in the breast and kill'd him on the spot He was exceedingly lamented by all people for his good Qualities and for the eminent Services he had done the Kingdom The Cardinal never loved him because the King had expressed an Inclination to make him his Favourite and after he had sent him into Italy made the King jealous of him because two of his Brothers had been in Monsieur's Army at the Battel of Castelnaudarry Nor was this all for he got his Governments and Pensions to be taken from him and gave the King such a Character of him as he pleased and the Mareschal had not the means to defend himself Fontanct surrendred soon after and the Mareschal de Crequi joyn'd the Duke of Savoy without any opposition because the Spaniards had entirely abandoned all the places about the Tesin thinking that the French had a Design to pass the Tanare and afterwards the Po. The Duke and the Mareschal continued together upon the Banks of the Tesin one on one side and the other on the other till the 20th of this Month in consulting whether they should send the Duke of Parma back again to his Country The latter knew not himself what Measures to take but at last for fear an Army of his Friends shou'd ruine him as well as that of his Enemies he resolved to part incognito and in that manner to get into his own Dukedom through the Territories of Genoa As he had no Experience in Military Affairs he hop'd at first that within a few Months and without any great Expence the Confederate Army would over-run all the Milaneze but having seen the quite contrary happen and his own state in Danger to become the Theatre of the War he wholly alter'd his Opinion and became fearful very unseasonably as he had formerly suffered himself to be led away with ill grounded expectations At last the Confederate Army marched on the two Banks of the Tesin to fortifie some Post there which they should judge most advantageous to command that River and to make a Bridge over it In their march they received Advice that the Marquiss de Leganez was coming towards them on that side where Crequi was so that the Duke of Savoy set his Men to work all Night upon a Bridge which was †The 23d of June ready by the next Morning that he might joyn the Mareschal The Spaniards had Fourteen Thousand Foot Four Thousand Horse and Four Canon They charged the French in the Morning who sustained the Shock till the Duke of Savoy had passed the River The Fight was so resolutely maintain'd on both sides that it lasted till Night the Victory being uncertain all the Day and the two Armies return'd several times to the Charge and wou'd not give way But the Spaniards retir'd in the Night and the Duke of Savoy and the Mareschal endeavoured in Vain to begin the Fight afresh the next Day All the Advantage they got was the Field of Battle and the number of the Dead and Wounded on their Side was somewhat less In the mean time the Duke of Rohan forced several Passes above the Lake of Como but when he was at Lech he sent word to the Duke of Savoy that he cou'd not advance further than Gravedonne because the ways were impracticable Thus he was obliged to return to the Valteline and the Duke of Savoy abandon'd the Tesin and * The 23d of July went back to Turin From that time the French Army began to diminish considerably by perpetual desertions and on the Contrary the new Levies of the Milaneze and of the Kingdom of Naples daily augmented that of the Spaniards The Duke of Parma was no sooner returned to his Dominions but he saw a considerable Body of Spanish Troops under Duke Martin of Arragon who ravaged and plundered the greatest part of them He then repented that he had not accepted the Forces that were offer'd him for the preservation of his Country which he was afraid of burthening too much by receiving them and he sent to demand them again with great earnestness But the Spaniards being at that time Masters of the Field it was not an easie matter to relieve him To compleat his Misfortunes the Pope published a Monitory against the Duke by which he cited him to Rome and commanded him to recall the Troops which he had in the Territories of any other State Besides this the Pope pretended to have Security in Writing that he wou'd obey him in the space of Thirty Days otherwise he threatned to excommunicate him and give his Lands to the first Possessor People were so much the more surprized at these rigorous Proceedings because at that time the Duke had Soldiers no where but at Rome and the Spaniards ravaged his Country at Pleasure and kept Placentia blocked up The World was not then acquainted with the Mystery that there was a secret Treaty between the Spaniards and the Barberini's who desired to make themselves Masters of this Prince's Dominions under any pretence whatever and to put D. Taddeo Barberini prefect of Rome in possession of them The King sent orders to the Mareschal d' Estrees to complain highly of the Pope's Proceedings and hinder'd him from pushing on this Design any longer in publick He likewise ordered the Mareschal de Crequi to succour the Duke of Parma with all Expedition but the Passes being all shut up as well through the State of Genoa as through the Milaneze partly by the Troops that were posted there and partly by the Rains and badness of the Weather the Mareschal was not able to execute this Order so that the best course the Duke of Parma cou'd now take was to make his Peace with the Spaniards who being satisfied to see him humbled did offer very reasonable Conditions of which the Pope and the Grand Duke of Tuscany were to be the Guarrantees But the Vexation to be so soon reduced to beg Pardon of the Crown of Spain and the great promises of France occasion'd this Prince not to listen to those that advised him to accommodate matters with Spain although he was blocked up in Placentia and 't was now discoursed to besiege that Place in the usual Forms Thus this Champaign ended in Italy not so advantageously for France as it had begun and their Victories were scarce able to preserve their Allies The King was resolv'd to succour those places which he still held in Alsatia to secure them against the Imperialists who endeavour'd to retake them and hop'd to reduce them in a short time by reason of the great distance of the French The Cardinal de la Valette who had served his Apprenticeship the Year before in Germany * The 2d of January Aubery 's Life of the Cardinal lib. 5. c. 24. Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 457. undertook this Expedition They gave him Three Thousand Horse and the same number of Foot all choice Men and with this Body
Side to oppose the Spaniards And thus the States-General not being assisted by France as they ought to have been the Cardinal Infanta was not apprehensive of any great harm they could do him and therefore directed his Thoughts to retaliate to France what France had done to him the Year before Besides seeing the principal Forces of France taken up in Italy and in Burgundy he thought it sufficient to send the Count de Feria against the Prince of Orange with a small Army He designed to make himself Master of the * Aubety 's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 35. City of Liege which had stood neuter ever since the Declaration of the War and Jean de Werth went to besiege it but the Inhabitants having made their peace with a Summ of Money the Cardinal Infanta order'd that General to joyn Prince Thomas and Piccolomini †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 436. and make a descent upon ‡ Picardy together The first place they besieged was Cappille which only held out * It surrendered on the 10th of July seven Days and then the Baron du Bec surrendered it by Capitulation After they had taken some other small Places they went to attack Catelet which St. Leger who was the Governour of it surrendered likewise without staying till they had made a Breach All People were surprized at the small resistance which the Governours of these Places made and the Cardinal fell into an excessive rage against them although it was purely his Fault for the Frontiers of Picardy even after the Declaration of the War were left naked and unprovided as if it had been in the midst of a Peace To turn the Eyes of the World from himself he composed a Council of the Officers of the Crown that were at Paris and of some Councellors of State which condemned the Governors of the Places surrender'd to be quartered like Traytors Nay * See the Life of the Duke of Espernon p. 548. he fell foul upon the Duke de la Valette because he wou'd not give his Vote to have the Baron du Bec condemned to die as the Interests of the Minister demanded All they cou'd do at that juncture was to oppose the Progress of the Spaniards by a small Body of Men commanded by the Count de Soissons and composed of the Troops of the Mareschal de Brezé which he had brought out of Holland and of those of the Mareschal de Chaunes who had acted the Summer before upon the Frontiers of Artois But this Army being in no respect capable to make head against the Spaniards and being also lessen'd by the Detachments that were made out of it to defend those Places which were in danger to be attack'd they contented themselves to dispute the Passage of the River Somme with them and to incommode their March On the first of August the Spanish Army appeared upon the Banks of that River and pretending to pass over at a certain place by the favour of twelve Pieces of Cannon placed in Battery upon the Banks of the Somme they passed it at another place where the French did not expect them The Count was resolved to attack their Infantry who had with great haste cover'd themselves with Gabions but he sustained so great a Loss without being able to dislodge them that he was obliged to yield the field to the Spaniards and to retire to Compeigne This alarmed the whole Country which was surprized to see that the Count shou'd fly before 8 or 10000 Horse which Piccolomini and Jean de Werth commanded Thus Roye the next day open'd their Gates to the Spanish Army and the French Troops every where began to be possess'd with a great Consternation It was feared that as they fled towards Paris the Spanish Army wou'd pursue them whereas had they taken any Post that lay nearer to the Frontiers the Enemies durst not have advanced too far into the Kingdom Within a few days after Corbie which pass'd for a strong place was taken after a Siege of 8 days although there were 1800 Men in Garrison there Soyccourt Lieutenant-General of the Province surrendred it without staying till it was assaulted or fearing the Punishment to which the other Governours were condemned At this time the Parisians were in an extraordinary fear notwithstanding the King's presence among them and the perpetual Arrival of new Troops which daily encreased the Army Cardinal Richlieu was cursed in all places who had engaged the Kingdom in this War before he had provided for the Security of the Frontiers and especially those of Picardy which are at so small a distance from Paris As he was beloved by none but his own Creatures they now took occasion to say all the Ill of him they knew * Aubery 's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 38. It was not only said that War was not his Profession but they added that he had a Design to deliver up Paris to the Spaniards and that for that reason he had caused the Walls of the Fauxbourg of St. Honore to be broken down under a Pretence to enlarge the City on that side However †Aubery Ibid. c. 40. Siri Ibid. p. 438. notwithstanding all these Murmurs against him the Cardinal being come to Paris went into the City without his ordinary Guards as it were to hearten the People and to let them see how secure he thought himself upon the score of his Innocence All the Companies of Paris went to offer their Service to the King upon this occasion and they assessed themselves to raise new Levies with all Expedition All the young Fellows about the City that were capable of bearing Arms were sent for Those that had several Lackeys were obliged to send one as well as the Tradesmen that had Apprentices to spare and several Buildings at Paris were laid aside for the present to list the Carpenters and Masons The King likewise put out an Order that all those that had above one pair of Coach-Horses should give one to serve for the Artillery or Troopers and that all Gentlemen and all those that were exempt from Taxes and all the Officers of his Houshold should repair in their Arms to St. Denys within six days In the mean time the Siege of Dole was raised as has been already observed and the King on the first of September found himself at the Head of forty thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse and with a Train of forty Pieces of Cannon The Army being met together His Majesty came thither accompanied by Monsieur the Cardinal-Duke the Duke of Angoulême and the Mareschals de la Force and Chatillon besides abundance of other Officers Monsieur was declared Generalissimo of that Army and the Count de Soissons Lieutenant-General which was rather done for fear of discontenting those Princes than obliging them The Cardinal desired to be Generalissimo and that the Count de Soissons might Command under him but the Count-refused it and so he was
obliged to bestow that Post upon Monsieur which he desired for himself Although they were now in a condition to beat the Enemies out of Picardy so soon as they pleased yet the Danger they had been in and the Affairs of Italy and Burgundy threw the King into so deep a Melancholy that he was displeased at every thing He was concerned that his Brother had the Command of the Army and that he lived in a good Understanding with the Count de Soissons He express'd a great Coldness towards the Cardinal for daring to censure his ill Humour and his want of Resolution He wou'd scarce be brought to see him and he contradicted him whenever he spake of any thing so that the Cardinal lost in a manner all his Courage and neglected to give the necessary Orders It was observed that contrary to his custom he shew'd a great deal of Civility to those people whom he had formerly slighted One day he publickly asked * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. â— p. 441. St. Yval whom he hated extreamly because he was deeply engaged in the Party of the Count de Soissons what his Opinion was about an Affair of great consequence He invited him besides to sup with him and St. Yval was ravished with joy to see this haughty Spirit so humbled by his fear that the progress of the Enemy wou'd be the cause of his ruine †Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 8. p. 439. At last he found himself so weakned in Body and Mind that if Father Joseph to whom he discovered his most secret Infirmities had not encouraged him he was ready to throw up the Ministry and by that means to hasten his own Destruction which his Enemies had so long desired But this Capuchin having inspired him with fresh Resolution by his Discourses he determined to apply himself more than ever to Publick Affairs The first Thing he advised His Majesty in this Conjuncture was to perswade the States-General to make some Attempts upon the Territories of Spain The Prince of Orange was willing enough but those that promoted the Treaty hinder'd him from acting with necessary vigour However he gain'd his point of them at last and forbad the State 's Agent at Vienna to talk any more of a Truce He took the field with a considerable Army and was ready to make a Diversion in the Spanish Netherlands in case the Count de Feria approached the Frontiers of France 'T was at this time that Frederick-Henry received the Title of Highness which the Cardinal gave him instead of that of Excellence which he had till then enjoy'd The King concluded a new Treaty with the States by which he promised them a Million and half of Livers to be paid at Three several Payments in a year upon condition that all this Money should be employed in carrying on the War against Spain To encourage the Army by his Presence the King arrived there as I have already said at the beginning of September and having advanced as far as Senlis from whence he beheld one night the Flame of some Villages which the Croatians had set on fire before they left them he fell a Weeping at the Losses and Calamities of his People But the Spanish Army being utterly unable to oppose the progress of the Royal Forces thought of nothing now but retiring into the Low-Countries because they had not time enough to secure their Conquests Thus the Army of France came before Roye and after this Place had been Batter'd for a few days by Twelve Pieces of Canon they surrendred to Monsieur by Composition Afterwards it Marched to Block up Corbie for there was no hopes of taking it by force To effect this they undertook to environ it with Forts and Retrenchments for fear least the Spaniards should Relieve it but they were informed soon after that the Besieged wanted Corn and other Provisions This made the Cardinal resolve to propose the Attacking of the place hoping that the Garrison weakned by want and scarcity would be obliged to Capitulate The Mareschal de Chatillon was the first that proposed it in a Council and this Advice supported by the Authority of the Cardinal carried it from that of the Count de Soissons who believed it would be impossible to reduce this place by force at that time of the year They made Three Attacks and the Garrison finding themselves destitute of Victuals and no hopes of a Relief Capitulated on the 19th of November This good success made the Cardinal as courageous as ever and retrieved his Reputation which had suffer'd mightily by the progress the Spaniards made in Picardy However * Siri Mem. Râ—c T. 8. P. 442. People censured his Conduct for uniting the Duke of Orleans and the Count de Soissons in the Command of the same Army because as they were both his sworn Enemies so they might lay their heads together to destroy him The Minister was of opinion that the Count de Soissons who was of an imperious haughty temper would fall out with Monsieur and that their Domesticks whose Interests were different would take care to incense them one against another But it fell out quite contrary for these two Princes who had been Enemies of a long standing to his Eminence re-united more than ever to ruine him They were made to believe that if they still continued in their designs against the Minister they would draw to their party the Houses of Guise of Vendome of Bouillon of Espernon and of Rets whom he had scurvily used and who appeared to be very much dissatisfy'd with him So Monsieur and the Count being at Peronne they advised together about the properest ways to destroy the Cardinal Some were of opinion That His Majesty should be made acquainted with the Ill-conduct of this Minister who was the cause of all the Calamities the Nation groaned under and that he had engaged him in a War which he vainly imagined he was able to manage of himself though he was much fitter to raise a Cruel War in the State than to repel Foreigners Others advised to dispatch him out of the way for that would soon put an end to all these disorders This last expedient seemed the best and the two Princes being resolved to put it in execution trusted the Secret with four persons one of whom was a Domestick of Monsieur and the other three belonged to the Count de Soissons During the Siege of Corbie the King Lodged in a Castle near Amiens and never came to the City where the Cardinal lay but when he held a Council there after which he returned to this Castle So Monsieur and the Count resolved one day when they came to Council to carry a great number of the Officers of the Army along with them and that so soon as the King was returned to his Quarters to find some pretence or other to stop the Cardinal and cause him to be Murder'd by the Four Men who knew of the Affair With this design they
was to be feared that under a pretence of Defending it the Cardinal wou'd make himself absolute Master of all Piedmont and the Dutchess's Council who foresaw this Inconvenience did not know how to remedy it Not to look back so far as ancient Examples they had before their eyes that of Casal which the French had never quitted since the time they first got footing into it Whenever they were asked to restore it to the Duke of Mantua they still demanded to be reimbursed for the Expences they had been at to keep it which amounted to so great a Sum that the Duke of Mantua was not in a condition to pay it In the mean time the Marquiss de Leganez * The 11th of March. Siri T. 8. P. 575. laid Siege to the Fort of Breme upon the Po and on the other side the River Sesia to free the Milaneze from the Incursions of that Garrison Due care had not been taken to fortifie that Post as it deserved and Montgaillard the Governour of the place did not acquit himself in that Trust as he ought to have done so that it was concluded the Town would be infallibly lost if it was not relieved The Mareschal de Crequi went thither in person and as he approached the Spanish Camp with two or three hundred Horse to observe them nearer at hand he alighted with his prospective Glass in his hand and leaning on a large Tree to view the Lines of the Spaniards a Cannoneer belonging to the Spanish Camp seeing some Horsemen on that side and a Man in Red Cloaths come forward he imagined him to be some Officer of Note and pointing a small Piece directly to the Tree where the Mareschal was gave fire and the Bullet carried off the Mareschal's Left-arm which held the prospective Glass wounded him in the Belly and pierced the Tree The French carried him off immediately and his Body being embalmed was sent to Lesdeguieres Thus died †The 17th of March. Charles de Crequi after he had given great proofs of his Bravery for several Years Breme Surrender'd after a Siege of 15 Days and after it had suffer'd an Assault The Governour was apprehended at Casal because it was discovered that he had but 600 Men in Garrison although but 8 Days before the Siege he had been paid for 1700. Afterwards Orders being arrived from Court to bring him to his Tryal he was beheaded After the Death of the Mareschal de Crequi France found it self so unprovided of Generals upon whom the Cardinal durst rely that they were forced to send the Cardinal de la Valette into Italy and so to order matters that the Pope should not take it ill that they had given him that Employ In the mean time the Dutchess of Savoy finding herself incapable of opposing the Forces of France if she offended them by refusing to sign the League Offensive and Defensive †The 9th of June See the Treaty in Aubery 's Mem. T. 2. P. 147. was at last resolved to comply with them and by that means drew the Spanish Army upon her hands His Majesty's Troops and her own when the Cardinal de la Valette arrived there made up no more than 10000 Foot and 3000 Horse and that of Leganez consisted of 5 or 6000 Men more So before the French had augmented their Army the latter went to Besiege Verceil and made their Lines of Circumvallation that they might not be obliged to raise the Siege There were about 1500 French and Savoyards in the place commanded by the Marquiss Dogliani Governour of the Town The People of Piedmont seeing a Spanish Army in their Country exclaimed every where against the Regent who since she was not in a condition to deâ—â—â—d them ought to have kept the Neutrality and 't was highly probable that if her two Brothers-in-law came into the Country they wou'd rise up and declare for them For this reason the Spaniardâ— resolved to engage them to go thither under a pretence of taking part in the Government of the State but in reality to make themselves Masters of it The Cardinal de la Valette vex'd to see so considerable a place ready to be taken at his Arrival into Piedmont used all possible diligence to throw Relief into the Town and he luckily accomplished it on the 20th of June at night putting into it without loss about two thousand Men commanded by S. Andre Master de Camp of the Troops of Savoy However in spight of the obstinate Resistance of the Garrison and of the Relief the Spaniards carried on the Siege and the Besieged wanting powder they were reduced to the last Extremity in a few days Thus having repulsed one Assault with Swords in their hands Pikes and Stones they surrender'd upon composition towards the beginning of July The Cardinal de la Valette who was not posted far from the Spanish Army was of opinion to attack the Enemy in their Retrenchments but the Generals of the Dutchess wou'd by no means consent to it for fear lest if the Enterprize shou'd not succeed Piedmont wou'd be too much exposed to the Insults of the Spaniards After the Taking of this place the Dutchess complain'd exceedingly of the Cardinal de la Valette and the people spoke ill of the French in all places But that which threatned to hurt them turn'd to their Advantage for after this Loss the Dutchess saw her self obliged to put French Garrisons into all the Towns of Piedmont notwithstanding the Murmurings of her Subjects At the same time the Spaniards failed in their Design upon Casal which was favoured by the Dutchess of Mantua who was entirely of their Party and was angry to see her self a Dependant upon France by the means of that place The Marquiss de Leganez to render the French more odious to the People publish'd a Manifesto wherein he declared that the true Intent of his coming into Piedmont and Montferrat was only to turn out the French from thence and not to make War against the Dukes of Savoy and Mantua that were oppress'd by this Foreign Power This War being on the side of France nothing but a politick War to humble as Cardinal Richlieu pretended the House of Austria and as others said to render himself more necessary to the King and the Subjects of Savoy and Mantua not being engaged in it by Inclination or Necessity but by force this Manifesto of Leganez produced strange Effects in a short time But his Army being fatigued was scarce able to attempt any thing in Montferrat whither they came after the Taking of Verceil and both sides thought of withdrawing into their Winter-Quarters The young Duke of Savoy Francis Hyacinth happen'd to * The 4th of October die at this time being Seven Years old and his Brother Charles Emanuel succeeded him This afflicted the Regent excessively who now beheld all her Hopes for the future founded upon the Life of her second Son for the Dominions belonging to the House of Savoy were
carry him off or at least to defer the Retreat till night But the Enemy having approached a Ravelin which parted the two Armies with their Artillery began to cannonade the French who likewise advanced on their side tho for want of Horses they were not in a condition to bring up their Artillery This gave the Enemy an opportunity to pass the Ravelin notwithstanding the resistance of the French Infantry who were once more in this extremity abandon'd by the Horse Feuquieres as he perform'd all the Offices of a General received two shots from a Musquet one of which broke his arm so he was obliged to retire the distance of a Cannon shot from the place where the action was There he was taken Prisoner and conducted to Thionville where he died in a few days after partly of his wounds and partly of grief The French lost few of their Horse because they had the discretion to run away betimes but their Infantry were half kill'd upon the spot and half taken Prisoners The Mareschal de Chatillon to whom the Cardinal had given a small Army which he commanded upon the Frontiers of Champagne was blamed for not advancing to the relief of Feuquieres since he had notice of Picolomini's March 'T is reported that he was not sorry for the defeat of Feuquieres whom out of derision he called the New General because it would make the raising of the Siege of St. Omers be forgotten After this advantage Picolomini judging that the French dispirited and terrified with this overthrow would not be in a condition to oppose his designs marched directly to * The Relation of the Mareschal de Chatillon in the Mem. of Aub. T. 2. p. 312. Verdun but the Mareschal having thrown three Regiments into the place he went to attack Monzon which however he could not so speedily do but that seven or eight hundred men were put into it Nevertheless he carry'd all the Outworks of the place easily enough and had made himself Master of the Town if the Mareschal who had gathered the stragling remainders of Fenquieres's Army had not marched thither with extraordinary haste which * The 21 of June obliged Picolomini to retire to Yvoix as being not in a condition to resist an Army compos'd of 12000 Foot and 4000 Horse In the mean time the Marquis de la Meilleraye prest the Siege of Hedin with great vigour and it was fear'd that Picolomini would pass the Meuse to joyn the Cardinal Infanta in order to make him raise it Upon this consideration the Mareschal was ordered to follow him and observe his motions But the place was forced to surrender on the 29th of June for fear lest the Enemy should enter it through the Breach The King who was then at Abbeville to come and behold the Siege made his entry into the Town through it and the same day bestow'd a Mareschals Staff upon the Marquis de la Melleraye About a month after the Mareschal de Chatillon * On the 2d of Aug. Sâ—e the Capitulation in the Mem. of Aâ—bâ—ri T. 2. p. 337. retook Yvoix and order'd the Fortifications to be razed to the ground After this no considerable Action happen'd on the side of the Low Countries During the same Campaign the * Siri Mâ—m Râ—c T. 8. p. 7â—â— Prince of Conde entred into Rousillon and besieged the Fort of Salâ—â—s which is not far from Leucate and altho Don Mâ—châ—l Lorâ—nza Bravo defended it with a great deal of vigour yet he oblig'd it to capitulate on the 19th of July He took Cannot some time after and then withdrew to Narbonne leaving the charge of the Army to the Mareschal de Schomberg In the mean time the Spanish Forces advanced under the command of the Marquis de Spinola and came to re-besiâ—â—â— â—â—deâ—â— on the 20th of September Not to lâ—se time he order'd a general assault to be made upon the Outworks and carried them but with the less of abundance of his men This made him not so violently attack the body of the place and D' Espenan who commanded in chief there made frequent Sallies to beat him off While things were in this posture on both sides the Prince of Conde summoned the Arriere-ban and gathered as many Troops as he could find with all imaginable speed to preserve this new Conquest and force the Spaniards to raise the Siege He marched on the 22d of October and caused the Spanish Lines to be observed by the Mareschal de Schomberg and the Duke de St. Simon who advanced in a Boat towards that side upon the Lake of Leucate and discover'd there were great spaces void by which they judged entire Squadrons and Batallions might enter in a front This confirm'd the Prince in his design to attack the Spaniards and the better to surprize them he pass'd his Army over the Mountains instead of marching along by the Sea side On the 24th he arrived in sight of the Enemys Camp with twenty two thousand Foot the greatest part of whom were the Country Militia and four thousand Horse besides two thousand Volunteers The Spaniards were in a great consternation when they saw from afar so powerful an Army marching towards them through ways which were always held to be impracticable and if the Prince had fallen upon them at that instant in all probability they had been destroyed But he was of opinion to defer the Onset till next morning thinking the Spaniards durst not stay to expect him but about midnight there arose so prodigious a tempest of wind rain and thunder that the Army extremely incommoded by this unfavourable night deserted in great numbers as soon as day-light appear'd They that tarried were obliged to draw back because the space between them and the Enemyâ—s Camp was by the rain converted into a perfect Lake and the Prince of Conde who was but indifferently beloved by the Troops and the Militia could not oblige them to come back again The Spaniards also â—â—â—ainâ—d no small detriment by it however this did not constrain them to discontinue their Attacks but they compleated their Lines Nevertheless the Prince who had still fourteen thousand men with him * The 31 of Oct. resolved to attack them but he was repulsed after he had lost three thousand of his men and left as many prisoners to the Enemy Salces was obliged to surrender to the Spaniard which ill news extremely discomposed the Cardinal who had been accused more than once for his ill choice of Generals The Sieges of Dole and Fontarabia came afresh into mens memories and 't was believed now more than ever that the Duke de la Valette was innocent Thus it cannot be said that this Campaign was fortunate to the French altho they took a few places in the Low Countries * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 763. The Duke of Weymar made war against the Imperialists rather for himself than France altho she reaped this advantage by his Conquests that the Troops which
a thousand Foot without troubling himself whether the Enemy made any opposition against those that followed him In the mean time La Mothe having rallied his Troops cut the rest in pieces and defeated those that conducted the Powder and Ammunition which La Gatta was to throw into Turin and which they wanted more than they did men Those that escaped sav'd themselves in disorder at Colegno and thus for want of discretion in this General they lost a fair opportunity of utterly ruining the French Army As for the Marquis de Leganez it was too late before he attack'd the Count d' Harcourt's Quarter and after he had spent four hundred Cannon-shot all the day long against it he was twice repulsed nay and pursued by the French out of their Lines However Prince Thomas and La Gatta made a Sally with four hundred Foot and twelve hundred Horse and made themselves Masters of Valentin which news being brought to Leganez he brought his men back again to the Onset But the Count who had seen by the preceding Attacks that there was little danger to apprehend from so harmless an Enemy sent part of his Souldiers against Prince Thomas and at the same time sustain'd the attack of Leganez and forc'd the Prince to retire into the Town again He for his part complain'd that Leganez had not given him the Signal that was agreed upon when he attackt the French that so he might have made a vigorous Sally against them at the same time as was projected But the Spaniards said that the discharge of the Artillery and Musquet shot might easily have made Prince Thomas to comprehend when their attack began Next day the Vicount de Turenne and the Count de Tonnero arriv'd from Pignerol with six thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse and provisions for the Army The Marquis de Leganez return'd to his ancient Post and Don Charles della Gatta wanting forrage in Turin thought of nothing else but how to get out of the Town as soon as it was possible This he vainly endeavour'd to do on the 23d and 31st of July being constrain'd to return back again into the place In the mean time the French lock'd up Turin closer and closer still and Prince Thomas was at a loss how to inform Leganez of what he wanted or what measures to take with him when an Engineer of Bergamo whose name was Zignon according to some or according to others Francis Gallo Valet de Chambre to Prince Thomas furnished him with an expedient to render a correspondence between the Town and Spanish Camp very easie * See Siri 's Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. â—69 V. Tesauro 's Torin Assed p. 125. As Leganez was within Cannon shot of him he was advised to make hollow Cannon Bullets in which he was to close up the Letters which he had a mind to send from the City to the Camp of Leganez or from the Camp to the City and to stop up the hole with Lead Before he shot it he gave him a signal by some lighted powder to let him know that he must take care of the Bullet 'T is said they used the same Stratagem in the Spanish Camp and threw into the Town Bombs full of Powder which those of the Town took up in the Ditch to take out the Powder that they had occasion for The Citizens of Turin made use of the same expedient to acquaint their Friends in the Spanish Camp with what they had a desire to communicate to them and this was the reason why they call'd these Billets the flying Couriers By the same way Prince Thomas agreed with the Marquis de Leganez to make a vigorous Sally on the 14th of September with four thousand Foot and a thousand Horse while at the same time the Spaniards attackt them on their side The Prince did not fail to Sally at the time appointed and made himself master of some Redoubts of the Frencâ— and a Bridge which they had thrown over the Po But the Count d' Harcourt regain'd these Posts because the Spaniards did not appear and forc'd the Prince to enter Turin again after the loss of three hundred men Leganez who being deceiv'd by the narrow Valleys through which he was to march did not think the way was so far as it really was arrived too late the Prince who despair'd of seeing him having already made his retreat Thus he return'd without doing any thing and thought no more of relieving the place as those within the Town ever since this defeat thought of nothing more than how to make the most honourable Capitulation for themselves that they could The King and the Cardinal had design'd to send Mazarine thither to negotiate with the Princes of Savoy but the Count d' Harcourt being inform'd of it was not willing that another should take that honour out of his hands after he had taken so much pains to regulate the Capitulation of that place It was therefore agreed on the 22d of September that Prince Thomas should either surrender the City of Turin to him or re-establish the Regence of the Dutchess and the Soveraignty of the Duke her Son that all hostilities should cease and that Hostages should be given on both sides till Prince Thomas had retir'd with his Troops and all his Baggage where â—he should see convenient He withdrew to Yvrees â—nd the Count d' Harcourt entred Turin before Maâ—arine could arrive there Thus in the compass of â—wo years he acquir'd the reputation of the bravest â—nd most happy General that had for a long time â—ommanded the French Army altho he was far from â—aving all the experience requisite for War But his â—ashness and good fortune joyn'd to the cowardice and want of conduct in the Enemy supplied the place of capacity and experience The Count du Plessy Pralain was made Governour of Turin where he put a French Garrison of four thousand men after which the Dutchess came to this City with the Duke her Son The Princes of Savoy did * See the Mem. of Aub. l. 11. p. 833 c. accommodate their matters soon after with France and with their Sister-in-law But the particular Articles of their Agreement having no relation to the life of our Cardinal I shall pass them over in silence Before the * The 30 of Lec Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 877. year was expired the Cardinal made the Dutchess of Savoy and Count Philip d' Aglie sensible that he had not forgot the opposition they made him at * See the former p. 380. Grenoble when he was so earnest to have the Dutchess surrender up Montmelian to his Majesty He sent a secret Commission to Mazarine who was at Turin so to manage affairs as without the least noise to get the Count apprehended with orders not to communicate it to the Count d' Harcourt nor to Du Plessy Pralain till just upon the point of execution when they were to give necessary orders to effect it
he had pâ—â—sessed himself of all the Avenues began to work upon his Lines of Circumvallation on the 25th of May and the Enemy did not put themselves in a readiness to hinder them or to stop the Convoys which arrived soon after Nevertheless General Bec coming to St. Venant which is upon the River Lie a little below Aire found means to throw five hundred men of the old Troops into the place which somewhat retarded the progress of the Besiegers Bec marched afterwards on the side of St. Omers and the Cardinal Infanta having joyned him they marched towards Aire as if they meant to attack the Lines of the French in the sight of whom their Army appear'd on the 22d of June and had some skirmishes with them The night following the Spaniards got a great quantity of Fascines to fill up the French Retrenchments and a boggy place over which they design'd to enter the City But having sounded the Morass and examin'd this place they found the Morass was too deep and the French Guard too strong to make any attack on that side which made the Cardinal Infanta change his Post and so he sent a small party into the Bolonois to make some diversion there In the mean time the place defended itself with a great deal of vigour divers works were taken and retaken several times and the Besiegers bought very dearly every foot of ground they got The Cardinal Infanta was resolv'd to succour the place assoon as General Lamboi whom he expected every moment with impatience had join'd him but the French being acquainted with his design prest their works with that braveâ—y and diligence that they made very great breaâ—hes with their Mines and reduced the Garrison and Burghers to * See the Capiâ—ulatio◠〈…〉 Mer T 1. l. 2. p. 420. capitulate on the 16th of July Not to give the Spaniards longer time to relieve this place the French Generals granted them very honourable conditions The Garrison marched out the next day with Drums beating Colours flying Match lighted Ball in Mouth in short with all the other Marks of Honour which are usually granted to those that have defended themselves well and yet don't stay till the last extremity before they surrender The same day that the Garrison of Aire marched out that of Genap capitulated after a Siege of about a months continuance The King had renewed this year the antient Treaties he had made with the States General and had promised to send them twelve hundred thousand Livres upon condition they would attempt some considerable enterprize In pursuance of this Treaty Frederic Henry attacqu'd Genap and after he had made himself Master of the Town reduced the Castle to capitulate at the time abovementioned The taking of Aire did so wonderfully provoke the Cardinal Infanta by reason of the lamentable consequences this Conquest might draw after it for the rest of Artois and for Flanders that he resolv'd to dislodge the Army of the Mareschal de la Meilleraye and attempt the Siege of this place * Siri lb. p 465. before they could furnish it with necessary provisions So Lamboi having join'd him with four thousand Foot and two thousand Horse the day after the reduction of the place he adventur'd to besiege the victorious Army and to hinder them from receiving victuals or other relief he made a Detachment out of his Army under the command of the Count de Salasar who took Lillers and the Fort of Ecluse between Doway and Cambray and defeated a Convoy which advanced to throw themselves into this latter Fort. The Spaniards made some new Forts between Terwen and St. Omers to hinder any provisions from coming that way On the 5th of Angust the Cardinal Infanta marched directly towards the Lines of the French whom he kept in breath with continual skirmishes but was not able to bring them to a battel till at last the Mareschal de la Meilleraye fearing that if he stay'd in this Post much longer scarcity of Provisions and Ammunition would destroy his Army as well as the place he had so lately taken retired by night on the 9th of the same month and marched in all haste to possess himself of the Pass of Terwin lest the Enemy should prevent him Before he parted he repair'd the Breaches as well as he could and fill'd up the greatest part of the Lines He put three thousand men into the place and gave the Government of it to Aigueberre with food enough for two or three months if rightly managed He could not leave them any more Powder which was absolutely necessary for them but he hoped to throw a Convoy shortly into the place Assoon as the Mareschal was dislodged the Cardinal Infanta enter'd his Lines and began the Siege of this place with a great deal of vigour and diligence but so as not to expose his men too much to the Enemy's shot As he knew it was not provided with every thing necessary he hoped soon to reduce the Garrison by Famine The Mareschal did what he could to throw some provisions into it but the Spaniards were so strongly upon their guard that all those that endeavor'd it were beaten back with loss By the 20th of August the Spaniards had already rais'd three Batteries the besieged not thinking it worth the while to incommode them by their Cannon because they had not Powder enough and were oblig'd to reserve the little they had till a time of necessity Soon after the Garrison disarm'd the Burghers and turn'd all unprositable Mouths out of the place However to oblige the Cardinal Infanta to abandon his design the Mareschal de Breze attacked Lens which he took and Meilleraye took la Bassee likewise and made inroads into Flanders where they burnt and ravaged ten or twelve leagues round the Country But the Spaniards still carried on the Siege which they had begun hoping the place would shortly fall into their hands through want of provisions The Prince of Orange importun'd by France enter'd Flanders at another â—â—de Siri Mer. T. 1. l. â—â— p. 514. wiâ—â— the Army of the States and design'd to attack le Sas de Gand but the Count de Fountains having got thither before him with seven thousand Foot and forty Companies of Horse obliged him to retire to Bergen op Zoom without doing any thing The French also did attempt in vain to make themselves Masters of Armentieres upon the Lis for some of Lamboi's Troops that were in Garrison there beat them back with loss But upon advice that the Spaniards had weaken'd all their Garrisons to form a small body of men in order to hinder the excursions they made into their Country the Mareschal de la Meilleraye attempted the Siege of Bapaume a place of great importance and difficult to be besieged by reason of the great scarcity of Water He began to besiege it in September and took it by Capitulation on the 18th of the same month The Garrison was to be conducted according to
the Capitulation as far as Doway but not being able to compass it in one day they pass'd the night at Ecluse and pursued their way the next morning It was thought sufficient to give them a Trumpet to accompany them but happening to meet with St. Preuil the Governor of Arras altho the Trumpet acquainted him with the matter * Pontis relates this matter otherwise in his Mem. s 2. p. 190 c. he fell upon them kill'd part of their men and pillag'd the whole Baggage The King being inform'd of this action lest the world should impute it to the perfidiousness of the Generals ordered him to be apprehended in consequence of which having been accused of several other things he was beheaded at Amiens In the mean time the Cardinal Infanta falling sick in the Campt at Aire caused himself to be carried to Brussels to recover his health there but his Indisposition increasing he died there on the 9th of November It was believ'd in France that his death would cause the Siege of Aire to be rais'd but D. Francisco de Melo who had the management of it continued it with great resolution so that at last after they had consumed all their Provisions and eaten every thing from whence they could draw the least nourishment the place surrendred on the 7th of December Thus the Campaign concluded in the Low Countries in which the Spaniards lost three places to regain one at an extraordinary expence However the French Generals were blamed for taking so little care to preserve this Conquest which had cost them so much blood and which they saw retaken before their eyes without finding a way to hinder it The Spaniards did not * Siri Mer. T. 1. l. 1. p. 11. Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 825. maintain the War with the same vigor in Catalonia altho they could have done it with much more ease provided they had given as good orders in that Principality as in the Low Countries Instead of offering an Act of Oblivion to the Catalonians immediately after the retreat of the French that so a despair to obtain a pardon for their insurrection might not carry them to make a more obstinate defence the Marquis de los Velez mark'd the Men and Women with a hot Iron and this Cruelty engaged the people to support their Rebellion with all their force Those of Barcelona worked night and day upon their Fortifications to put that place in a condition of defending it self and no persons were exempted from so necessary a duty In the mean time Serignan Mareschal de Camp who had tarried in Rousillon with his Regiment of Infantry and three Companies of Horse enter'd Catalonia with these Forces and did not a little contribute to repress the first heat of the Spanish Army and to teach the Catalonians who were unexperienced in War after what manner they might defend themselves Serignan enter'd into Barcelona and conducted some of the Catalonian Troops thither altho he was pursued by the Spanish Cavalry The Marquis de loz Velez being within a few leagues of this City dispatched a Trumpeter to them with Letters to the Deputation of Catalonia The Viceroy promis'd to employ all his interest with the King to procure them a full Indemnity for their Insurrection upon condition they would disengage themselves from France and on the other hand he threatned them with very rigorous punishments if they persisted longer in their obstinacy The Catalonians after they had amus'd the Trumpet as long as they could in order to gain the more time made answer that the Privileges of the Cataloniaus did not permit them to treat with any one whoever he was that came in arms into their Country On the 26th of January the Spanish Army advanced to attack Montjui which is within half a league of Barcelona but the French and Catalonian Cavalry to the number of five hundred marched out of the City to observe the Countenance of the Enemy The Spaniards perceiving it privately retired into a Wood of Olive Trees to cut off these Horse and at the same time attack'd them in the Front to amuse them Bezancon and Serignan easily sustain'd the shock of the latter but soon after the Duke de St. George at the head of the others came out from behind the Wood and marched towards them Altho the Cannon of the City began to incommode them yet they still advanced forward even within Musquet shot and bravely attack'd the French Cavalry with Swords in their hands but the Duke being mortally wounded and several Officers of Note killed those that followed him were obliged to retreat leaving a hundred and fifty dead upon the spot and a great number of wounded The French and Catalonians lost in this encounter about a hundred men Montjui stands upon a Hill on the top of which is a small Plain where there was a Light-house but Bezancon at the desire of the Inhabitants of Barcelona had built a small Fort there encompassed with a Wall of dry Stones where he lodged sixty French Musqueteers This Hill being accessible on every side except by the Sea the Spanish Army began soon after to mount it and the Forlorn Hope easily gain'd the advance Posts which the Catalonians were ordered to keep who fled almost assoon as the Enemy appear'd But being now come to the top where they imagin'd to find no resistance they were surprized to see themselves assail'd by a discharge of Musquet shot and a shower of Stones which obliged them to descend to cover themselves from this storm till the body of the Army came up In the mean time five hunered Musqueteers came from Barcelona by Sea and the Catlaonians who had saved themselves behind the Fort imagin'd that the Spaniards run away from these succors and three thousand Musqueteers whom Bezancon and Serignan conducted by Land so that taking courage they went to charge the Forlorn Hope and beat them back upon their first line which they puc into disorder Upon this Bezancon falling in with a thousand Musqueeters broke it and altho the second line supported them yet they could not recover themselves And now the rest of his men arriving from Barcelona and being followed by abundance 〈◊〉 people who had beheld this happy beginning fear possessed the Spaniards and they retir'd without noise asson as night came towards Martorel The Catalonians gave no quarter to the wounded that could not follow the precipitate march of their Army and with those that were kill'd in the Skirmish there were two thousand dead in the Field of Batted About this time D. John King of Portugal acquainted the Catalonians with his Elevation to the Throne by the Bishop of Lamego who was going to Rome which news mightily animated them The next day after the Fight all the Courts being assembled the Catalonians resolv'd to submit themselves to the King of France provided he would pâ—eserve their Rights and Privileges This they passed into an Act which Bezancon dispatched to
first went out was in like manner defeated after a sharp resistance 'T is said that in this rancounter the Spaniards lost six hundred men and the French an hundred The Spanish Army having got into their Lines again or into the City began now to feel the terrible effects of a violent Famine and the Prince de Bottero who commanded it caus'd to be distributed daily to each Soldier two ounces of Rice and three of Horse-flesh for they made no difficulty to kill their Horses because they wanted forrage for them In the mean time care was taken at Madrid to raise a small body of men to go and deliver the Army that was besieged at Tarragone and assoon as they had got together six thousand Foot and two thousand Horse the Marquis de Leganez receiv'd orders to place himself at the head of them and endeavour to force the French Lines The Marquis set forward with this design but as he was not become more dexterous in military matters in Spain than he was in Italy he thought that the Passes were so well guarded that it would be labour lost to attack him Thus he retreated peaceably within some leagues of the place without adventuring to do any thing for its relief The Prince de Bottero's Army being now reduced to the last extremity were exceeding joyful to see a * On the 4 h of July Fleet of forty Gallies appear but the difficulty was how to make their way into the Harbour thro the French Vessels However the Prince of Ferrandine who commanded this Fleet was fully resolved to attempt it since it was not possible to save the Town and Army otherwise Having therefore observ'd that the Squadron of the Admiral and Vice Admiral lay at some distance from one another he determin'd to pass through their two firings but there were only ten Gallies that durst follow him through all the Cannon and Musquet shot of the Enemy They lost abundance of men and were extremely shattered before they could reach the Mole and as they were unloading the Provisions they brought upon the Key the Squadron of the Admiral coming near began to cannonade them so furiously that they must of necessity return the same way they came to avoid being sunk However they performed it and the French out of one and forty Gallies only took one they unloaded but a small quantity of provisions and landed some men on Shore in a few weeks both the Army and Town were in a worse condition than before and began to feed upon Dogs Rats and Cats Thus this Attempt of the Fleet only serv'd to destroy four or five hundred men in passing through and to put a great number of Gallies out of a condition to appear for a long time at Sea But not to abandon a Town and an Army which combated with much more resolution against Famine than against the Enemy Spain made its last effort and set to Sea a Fleet of sixty Sail followed by several Brigandines laden with provisions It * The 10 of August Siri Merc. T. 1. l. 2. p. 461. appear'd six weeks after the other and while the men of War and Gallies attack't the French Fleet which was in a manner surprized as not imagining the Spaniards could be able to put to Sea in so short a time Brigandines entered the Harbour without great difficulty The Archbishop of Bourdeaux who had sometimes succeeded by meer hazard was in such a consternation that he was uncapable of making head against the Enemy so that after the lost of three Vessels he escaped with the rest of his Fleet very much damaged to Provence Notwithstanding this defeat La Mothe staid some days longer in his Lines but fearing the succours which continually arrived at Tarragone he retook the posts where he was lodg'd before between Constantin and Valz and abandoned this design They were much dissatisfied with the Archbishops conduct at Court because he had sent them word that he was strong enough to beat any Spanish Fleet that should come before him and then after he had abandoned the Sea to the Enemy would have made them believe that he had got the Victory 'T is reported that this man had gain'd the Cardinal's favour by applying himself intirely to him without making his Court to any of his Relations or Creatures He had been Steward of the Cardinal's House and made the Servants and Tenants give an account of every thing with so much rigour that the Cardinal wondered at his exactness besides that the Archbishop put in frequently something of his own which considerably increased the Cardinal's revenues But as all the World hated him and especially De Noyers the Secretary no means were left unattempted to destroy him 'T is said that it was with this prospect he was sent into Catalonia with a Fleet which they knew was not in a condition to oppose that of the Spaniards and that it was against his advice that La Mothe endeavoured to starve Tarragone As soon as he was arriv'd at Toulon the Officers mutinied against him and refused to own him for their Admiral They likewise sent relations to Court quite different from his and accused him of being positive and humoursom and that he never regarded the advice of those persons who had the greatest experience in Sea affairs As all the Court in general joyn'd with his accusers the King and Cardinal immediately concurr'd in an ill opinion of him and at last resolved to order the informations against this Prelate to be taken In the mean time they took from him the command the Fleet which was none of the fittest posts for a Bishop and banished him to Carpentras At the bottom altho he was certainly in the wrong to take up a profession which he did not understand and his conduct was far from being regular yet the Cardinal who pretended to know the men whom he employ'd was more to be blamed for giving to a Bishop and to a person so uncapable as he was a Fleet to command Towards the end of the Campaign * The 4 of Novemb the Spaniards surprized the City of Almenas but the inhabitants escaping into the Castle they began to lay siege to it La Mothe marched thither with all speed with two thousand Horse and two thousand eight hundred Foot but the Spaniards being at least thrice stronger than himself he durst not attack them However he saved the place by a stratagem after this manner he sent three hundred Horse to the top of the neighbouring mountains with all the Drums and Trumpets belonging to the Army and ordered them to Alarm the Enemy on that side with the greatest noise they could make that so they might believe the whole Army was there while he on the other side threw himself into the Town with five hundred Horse This project succeeded very happily and so the Spaniards quitted their design After the King had accepted the donation of Catalonia he appointed the Mareschal de
suspected of High Treason in order to turn them out of their places which he either took into his own hands or conferr'd upon those that promised to maintain him in his Tyranny That he had ruin'd the best Families in the Kingdom to raise his own and had reduced several good Houses to misery to inrich persons of no merit birth and fortune That he drained France of its Money to send it in specie to foreign Countries and fill'd the Kingdom with Money of a base allay That he had bought at too excessive rates both of the Swedes and others places which he was not able to keep as Philipsburg or must when a Peace comes surrender without reimbursement as Brisac and others That he had indiscreetly squander'd away the Finances in Italy to acquire himself friends whom he afterwards ruin'd and thus render'd the protection which his Majesty had given to the Dukes of Mantua Parma and Savoy contemptible and of no effect That he had made some attempts in Spain which only tended to the dishonour of France and gain'd some Conquests in the Low Countries which were a charge to the State and only proper to render the War everlasting That he had burthen'd the Kingdom with an infinite number of Officers and dryed up the ordinary sources of the Finances by selling or engaging the Demeans and Aids to so high a price that a man could not make up his Money again without committing a great deal of injustice That he had forced several Orders to elect him for their General as the Cistercians the Clarevallenses and the Praemonstratenses by imprisoning abundance of the Religious who would not give him their Votes That as for the other Orders he had engag'd them by a thousand artifices to elect Vicar Generals in France that they might have no more communication with Rome and that he might make himself Head of the Gallican Church for Spirituals as well as Temporals That the King had no Allies that could assist him as being all a charge to his Majesty and only able to make feeble diversions at the expence of France That those whom the Cardinal thought capable to oppose his arbritary proceeding had been delivered into the hands of the Executioner after they had been condemned by wicked corrupt Commissioners of his own nomination or rotted in Prison or were banish'd the Court That he with inhuman ingratitude had turn'd out the Queen Mother and treated all the Princes and Noblemen of the Kingdom in a most arrogant manner That he had violated or annihilated all the Laws and all the Ordinances of the Kingdom under the specious pretence of the absolute will and authority of the King That he had robbed the Provinces and communities of their ancient Franchises and vacated the contracts they had made with former Kings That he had grosly abused the Princes Dukes Peers Mareschals of France and other Officers of the Crown That he had caused several innocent Noblemen to be Condemned by Commissioners dependant upon himself and imprison'd them without any form of process That some Bishops had been judg'd contrary to the known Laws of the Land other Ecclesiasties depriv'd of their Benefices and all of them obliged besides the ordinary tenths to pay prodigious sums and more than one third of their revenue to maintain a company of Pyrates at Sea that were commanded by an Archbishop and by Land an Army of sacrilegious Ruffians that pillag'd Churches and were set on by a Cardinal That he had treated in a most extreme ill manner the two Archbishops Presidents of the last Assembly of the Clergy for representing to him the miserable condition of the Ecclesiastics of France who had given five millions and a half above the ordinary Tenths That several Noblemen had been severely fined forced to the Arriere-ban and deprived of their employments meerly because they were not of his Faction That the Presidents and Counsellors of the Soveraign Courts had been suspended turn'd out and imprison'd when they spoke for the real advantage of the King and People or opposed his innovations which tended to the disgrace and ruin of the Kingdom That several Officers of Justice and the Finances had been undone by researches and new regulations That the City of Paris after all the extraordinary Aids they had given his Majesty had been severely taxed like other Towns and that its Burghers had been taxed at discretion under the pretty name of Benevolences That all the rest that had been exempt from such burthens were to pay so long as Cardinal Richlieu continued in the Ministry That great imposts were laid upon merchandise and that they levied the twentieth penny upon the most necessary things belonging to humane life That the Country was desolated by Soldiers and the keepers of Salt which reduced the poor Peasants to the â—â—od and hard lâ—dgings of Bâ—asts or forced them to dye of Famine or to take Arms or to â—â—g that agriculture was stopt which infinitely incommoded in Ecclesiastics the Nobility and the Burghers These were the complaints brought against Cardinal Richlieu the greatest part of which were without question very wâ—ll grounded The mischief was that the world believâ—d that if thâ—se who â—â—â—surâ—d his conduct with so much reâ—son had been to take his place they would have 〈◊〉 the same violâ—â—ces and yet had 〈…〉 capable to carry it oft with a quarter of that â—â—od management which the â—â—â—dinal discoverâ—d Lest these discountâ—â—â—d Princes and Loâ—ds should be branded for being 〈◊〉 to thâ—e 〈◊〉 they said that they had 〈…〉 that the Emperour and King of Spain should lay down their Arms along with them so soon as they could coâ—oâ—ntly obâ—â—ing sure and honour 〈…〉 they believed 〈…〉 had power to break it as he had 〈…〉 of Ratisbone and 〈…〉 every one 〈…〉 joy what of right 〈…〉 to him 〈…〉 up Arms with no other 〈…〉 peace which the Cardinal 〈…〉 to deâ—iâ—e but did not so in 〈…〉 natural they should defend themselves 〈…〉 as they were able against the violent and 〈…〉 proceedings of the Minisâ—â—â— In 〈…〉 the three Eâ—tates of the Kingdom to 〈…〉 satisfaction for 〈…〉 had done them 〈…〉 such as 〈…〉 The Paâ—◠〈…〉 the Mareschal de Chatillon enter'd into the Principality of Sedan before the Enemies were in a condition to take the Field without doing any thing remarkable there But Lamboi having joyn'd these Princes at the beginning of July they marched together on the 5th of that month with eight thousand Foot and two thousand Horse to fight the Mareschal who had a thousand Horse and a thousand Foot more than they had * Siri Mer. T. 1. l. 2. p. 418. The Relation of the Battel of Sedan in the Mem. of Montresor p. 398. The Mareschal had positive Orders not to hazard a Battel and he only propos'd to himself to hinder them from passing the Meuse and entering the Kingdom according to the instructions he had received But the Enemies having passed the River within a quarter of a
that were in Yvrce to march that way but afterwards Prince Thomas would not let them come in again The Cardinal of Savoy likewise turn'd Tuttavilla who commanded the Spanish Troops out of Nice making him embark by himself without suffering him to speak to any one in a Brigandine under pretence that they had received advice that he design'd to surprize the Castle of Villa Franca After this it was no difficult matter to turn out the Troops that were destitute of their Leader so that the Cardinal found himself in a condition to conclude with France and his Sister-in-Law without running any hazard He afterwards married his own Neice daughter to the Dutchess of Savoy altho there was a great disparity between their ages The Duke of Longueville was ordered to command the Army in Italy and Prince Thomas concerted measures with him to regain the places which the Spaniards still held in Piedmont and to attack the Milanese This they began to perform with great success while Italy was embroil'd in the War of the Barberines against the Duke of Parma as I shall hereafter observe The States General of the * Ib. 310. Vnited Provinces having resolved to act only upon the defensive this year the Spaniards had no occasion to oppose them with a considerable Body of men So they turned the whole forces of the Low Countries against France and attackt Lens on the 17th of April with an Army of twenty five thousand men commanded by D. Francisco de Mello Governor of the Low Countries D' Anisy who was Governor of the place acquitted himself so ill in his duty that the Enemy took part of the Out-works without any resistance and enter'd into it by composition on the 19th The Count d' Harcourt who commanded ten thousand men in Picardy being inform'd of his Cowardice condemn'd him by a Council of War to have his Head struck off if he could be taken or to be executed in Essigies in the Market-place at Peronne in case they could not apprehend him Upon the news of Lens being besieg'd * Antoine de Grammont who was made Mareschal of France the 22 of Sep. 1641. the Mareschal de Guiche with a small Army which he had to cover Champagne marcht to the relief of the place but when he heard it was surrender'd he went to Peronne which was the rendezvous of the Count d' Harcourt's Army whom he was to joyn A few days after the taking of Lens D. Francisco de Mello went to lay Siege to Bassee a small place well fortified by the French since it was in their hands The Spanish General needed not many Pioneers to work on the Circumvallation because it was cover'd by the River Lis and several Canals into which the Country is cut except on one side for the compass of a league where he made his Retrenchments so strong that it was impossible to force them The French sent fifteen thousand men to observe them but durst not attack them and altho the Siege went on slowly by reason of the brave resistance of the Garrison nevertheless the Spaniards carried the Outworks by little and little so that Bourdonne Governor of the place having no hopes to be relieved surrendred it on the 13th of May upon very honourable conditions The Garrison which had been at the beginning three thousand strong had not then above two thousand four hundred several of which were sick or wounded The Spanish Army stay'd within their Lines till the 24th of May after which they separated in two bodies to oblige the French who were weaker than they to do the same The Count d' Harcourt went to encamp near Hedin at the Abbey of Cercamp and the Mareschal de Guiche near Catelet at that of Honnecourt The latter had intrench'd himself slightly enough near a Wood which he thought to be impenetrable by an Army and therefore had not made any Retrenchments on that side Whether D. Francisco de Mello was inform'd of it or no he march'd directly to him with the greatest part of his Forces * The 26 of May. While they attackt the Retrenchments on one side on the other they entred the Wood by dislodging some of the French that were there and put themselves in Battel between the Wood and the Camp Altho the French fought with a great deal of Bravery and return'd several times to the Charge yet being much inferiour in number they were at last obliged to give way and fly They lost fifteen hundred men and left above two thousand Prisoners in the hands of the Spaniards who likewise gain'd the greatest part of the Colours and an hundred thousand Crowns in Money which was design'd for the payment of the Army They on their side lost but very few men and might almost have taken the whole French Army Prisoners if they had pursued them with more vigour The Mareschal grown desperate to see himself defeated stay'd a long time in the Abbey on purpose to be made a Prisoner and it was not without a great deal of difficulty that he was perswaded to leave it After the loss of this Battel Picardy which was destitute of forces sufficient to defend it expected to be pillaged in a few days because the King was then in Rousillon as I shall observe anon and could not put things in order there But the Spanish General instead of making the best advantage of his Victory stay'd a long time to deliberate whether he should march into Germany to fall upon the * The King made him Mareschal a Naibon as well as la Mo he Hauâ—ancourt Mareschal de Guebriant or else enter France to oblige the Armies which attackt Rousillon and Catalonia to come and defend their own Kingdom It was believed that D. Francisco de Mello would not fail to do the latter at least after he had reposed himself a few days but he did not resolve what measures to take pretending that he had receiv'd Orders from Madrid not to engage the Army in any considerable enterprize because cause the Court of Spain had thoughts to employ them upon another occasion which I shall mention anon but was already past and the Governor of the Low Countries knew nothing of it The Cardinal was at Frontignan when he receiv'd the news of the Mareschal's defeat who had married one of his Relations and how much he took it to heart So he writ him this Letter which I thought it not amiss to set down Men may do all that prudence and the present occasions suggest to them but the event is in the hand of God The best Captain in the world may lose a Battel and when such a misfortune befalls him he ought to comfort himself if he did all that he could and ought to do Take heart therefore my poor Count and omit nothing that lies in your power to hinder this accident which has happen'd to you from being attended with any ill consequences If I had a strong Arm I would offer
got out of another Thus the Cardinal defeated this Conspiracy with great glory to himself and very advantageously for the Interest of France Altho those that envied his authority were not properly speaking enemies of the State yet as they could not destroy this Minister but by embroiling the Kingdom by the help of its real enemies they furnished the other party with a plausible pretence to accuse them with designing to betray their King and Country The Cardinal receiving the news of the death of Cinq-Mars and De Thou almost at the same time that advice was sent him of the reduction of Perpignan writ a Letter to the King which began after this manner Sir your arms are in Perpignan and your Enemies are dead In the compass of one month France got possession of two Places that were of the last importance to her particularly so long as she was engaged in a War with Spain Perpignan secured Rousillon and put her in a condition to preserve Catalonia in case she persisted in that resolution and Sedan hindred the Spaniards from entring France on that side whereas before if they gain'd the Duke of Bouillon over to their party which was no difficult matter they might easily enter it when ever they pleased On the other hand the affairs of Spain went every day worse and worse John IV. having been proclaimed King of Portugal not only resolved to preserve the Crown which was so lately put upon his head but likewise to regain all that it formerly possest in Afric America and the Indies The Government of the Castilians was become so odious every where where the Portugueses had formerly been that this design succeeded no less happily at a great distance from Spain that it had about the Tagus The Portugueses received with extraordinary Joy the News of the re-establishment of the Flouse of Braganze to which they generally submitted in spight of the Spaniards In the mean time the new King finding that the Castilians were unable to preserve their usurpations not only beat them out of the ancient bounds of Portugal but likewise enter'd into the dominions of the Catholick King and advanced as far as Salamanca He besieged several Towns in Gallicia Estramadura and Andalusia nay he had certainly made these Provinces the Theatre of the War by causing his Army to subsist there if there had been any strong places or such as were in a condition to be fortified to retire into in case of necessity Thus Spain was reduced to an extreme weakness thro the great indiscretion of the Count-Duke and the discontents of some Princes and several great Lords The Kingdoms of Valentia and Arragon that possest great privileges could not without a sensible regret see them daily infringed Catalonia which had so lately call'd in the French for that very reason furnished them with a very bad example and might perhaps influence them to do something of the like nature if things were not regulated in good time The Intrigues of the Duke de Medina Sidonia and of the Marquis d' Alamont put Andalusia into a tottering condition which Province was besides incensed at the change which had lately been made in the Money which after it had been made to go at an excessive high rate was at last cried down Those of Biscay had assassinated a Farmer who had been sent thither to introduce marked Paper against the Franchises of that Country and were exceedingly concern'd at the punishment of the principal Male-contents who had been wheedled to Madrid by the Count-Duke under a promise of being pardoned there and altho this had happen'd many years before yet they still deeply resented that perfidious usage In short the excessive poverty of Gallicia which besides was inviron'd almost on all sides by Portugal made it incapable to contribute much to the expence of the War Add to this that the Catholick King had sustain'd great losses in Catalonia without making any advances there thro the ill conduct of his Generals and that his America Fleet was destroyed so that he was forced to borrow Silver Plate of private persons to Coin it into Money The greatest Governments and Offices had for a long while beeâ— only bestow'd upon the Creatures of the Favorite without any regard to their capacity and merits and those that were best able to serve the State were turned out of Court because they could not submit to his imperious haughty temper In the mean time he caused forces to march from all parts at an incredible expence to endeavour the relief of Perpignan and 't is very observable that in six months time after he had used his greatest efforts he could bring no more than thirty thousand men into the field To compleat his misfortunes they arrived too late for the place which had long suffer'd the utmost extremities of Famine and which no one took any care to relieve was obliged to surrender on the 7th of September Don Flores d' Avela delivered it up to the Mareschal de la Meilleraye wholly destitute of Victuals but extremely well stored with Ammunition It had an Arsenal sufficient to arm twenty thousand Foot and Horse sixscore pieces of Cannon and three thousand pounds of Powder with all other things necessary for its defence The Mareschal gave the government of it to Varennes Mareschal de Camp till such time as the King should provide otherwise for the place This Conquest gave no little joy to the Court of France by reason of the mighty importance of the place which covered their Frontiers on that side and made them Masters of Rousillon On the contrary the King of Spain was exceedingly concern'd at it and could not dissemble his resentments while the Count-Duke affected a certain Gayety which surprized all the World He imagined by so doing to keep the King in heart who seemed to be strangely dejected and to put courage into the Army and People who were alarm'd at the progress of the Enemy He used all diligence to get together as great an Army as he could and the Grandees of Spain strove who should contribute the most towards the raising and maintenance of it in these urgent he cessiâ—ies of the State But instead of placing a General at the head of them who was able to raise the hopes of Spain he caused the Marquis de Leganez to be nominated to command them against the general expectation because this Marquis had not been able to obtain leave to come to Court but was as it were banished into Valentia by reason of the great complaints of the Allies and the Subjects of Spain against him but althâ— he was thus ill used in outward appearance the Count-Duke had given him private hopes that he should be suddenly advanced While he was putting himself in a posture to march Don Benito Henriquiz de Quirega surrendred Salse the Mareschals de Schamberg and Meilleraye on the 30th of September for want of provisions Part of the French Army which had been employ'd in the