against the King's Forces who were not above nine or ten thousand strong This seem'd to be a very slender Force and little suitable to the greatness of the Enterprise but the King by his Presence Vigilancy and Example did animate his Soldiers to that degree that redoubling their Courage and Activity they in spite of the continual Fire and frequent Sallies of the Besieged carried all the Out-Works in nine or ten Days time Our Cannon having soon after made a Breach in one of the Bastions of the Place large enough for thirty Men to mount a-Breast the Governour despairing of being able to hold out the Assault demanded a Capitulation It would have been no difficult matter for the King to have oblig'd him to surrender at discretion but being free to shew Mercy to one that had behav'd himself so Gallantly The Citadel of Cambray surrender'd he agreed to certain Articles to serve him as a comfort in his present affliction pursuant to which the Garrison marched out at the Breach with Drums beating Colours Flying and two pieces of Cannon The Conquest of these three important places and the Battle of Cassel put the Affairs of the Confederacy into such a confusision that it was a considerable time before they could recollect themselves For it was not till three Months after that they held a Congress at Wesel to deliberate concerning some Enterprize of moment by which they might in some measure recover their former Reputation and Hopes The Elector of Brandenburgh the Duke of Nieuburgh who had lately declared against France the Ambassador of the King of Denmark the Pensionary of Holland Admiral Trump and the Envoys of the King of Spain and several other Electors were present at this Conference where the Siege of Charleroy was resolved upon and the execution thereof committed to the Management of the Prince of Orange No sooner was the Place invested with threescore thousand Men but the King's Army posted themselves betwixt the Enemy and those Cities of Flanders from whence they must draw their Provisions so that their Convoys being intercepted they were in a manner block'd up and began to want Provisions in two Days time There was no other remedy left than either to fight us or to quit the Siege but the Confederates not judging it for their purpose to hazard a second Battle they decamped not without some Confusion before eight Days were expired laying the fault upon one another and consuming what Forage they could meet with in the Country without shewing any great inclination to oppose the King's Forces who ravaged the Country and exacted great Contributions The King's Arms were attended with the same success in other parts Victory in Catalonia Philip de Montaut Duke de Nouailles had ravaged the whole Lampourdan and defeated ten Thousand Spaniards as they were repassing the Pyrenean Mountains there were three Thousand five Hundred of the Enemies killed upon the place and eight Hundred made Prisoners with the loss of only two Hundred Men on our side In Germany the Troops of the neighbouring Circles commanded by a Duke of Saxony In Germany had been worsted in several Encounters and were at last forced to seek for shelter in one of the Islands of the Rhine But what they intended for their Preservation had very near proved their total Destruction being in eminent danger of perishing either by Famine or the Enemies Sword if upon the intercession of the Magistrate of Strasburgh the King had not granted them a Passport to retreat from thence in security under condition that they should not bear Arms against the King the same Campaign The Passport being signed by the Marshal de Crequy who commanded at that time on the Rhine the abovementioned Forces with their Saxon General were marching homeward being conducted by a strong Guard their main security against their Enemies when Prince Charles of Lorrain came in timely to their Assistance to deliver them from so ignominious a Retreat But it was not long before he paid dearly for the Glory of having rescued the Germans for within few Days after the Cavalry of his Right Wing was totally routed and cut to pieces This Prince was Heir and Nephew to the old Duke of Lorrain who died in the Year 1675. After his Death the Emperour to bring him over to his Interest made him General over his Army on the Rhine promising to give to him in Marriage his Sister the Queen Dowager of Poland and to make use of all his Power and Interest to put him into the Possession of Lorrain which belonged to him by right of Succession His projected design succeeded but ill in the Year 1676. But at the beginning of the Campaign in the Year 1677 he thought himself so sure that he puts this Motto upon his Standards Maintenant ou jamais that is Now or Never Full of these fair hopes he passed the Saar and advanced as far as Mouson but the Marshal de Crequy followed him so closely upon the Heels that he scarce ever miss'd any opportunity to intercept his Convoys and thereby to cut off his necessary Supplies of Provisions he kept his Army in continual Alarm and by his Marches and Counter-marches harrass'd them to that degree that he broke all the Duke's Measures who was at last forced to repass the Rhine without having been able to do any thing of moment all that Campaign The Germans had no sooner repass'd the Rhine Friburgh taken but the Marshal de Crequy invested Friburgh the Capital City of Brisgau This City is of a considerable bigness and its Citadel very strong both by its Situation and several good Works notwithstanding which the Marshal attack'd it so briskly that he became Master of it in less than eight Days time before Prince Charles of Lorrain could come to its relief About a Month after St. Gillian besieged and taken the King caused St. Gillian to be Besieged this Place is situate in the midst of the Province of Heinault of very good strength and well provided with every thing necessary for its defence The Soldiers were not only to fight against the Enemy but also against the cold Season it being in the Month of December notwithstanding all these Difficulties they carried the place in nine Days a convincing Instance that the King's Troops were used to outbrave all the Rigours of the Season These frequent Losses and continual Disappointments made the People of Holland wish as much for a Peace as the Prince of Orange had reason to oppose it For it being the Interest of that Prince to keep in his Hands as long as possibly he could that great power wherewith he was invested as long as he was supream Commander both over their Sea and Land Forces he left no Stone unturn'd to prevent the States from making either a general or particular Peace with France But this small and troublesome War which had already lasted four Years having exhausted all the Parties concerned both of Men
groaned under followed blindfold the inclinations of their Leaders Add to this the want of Courage in the Chief Minister which induced him to lay hold of that most destructive Maxim of State To prefer only such as he dreaded most This fatal concourse of different Interests and Passions proved the source of such divisions and intestine Commotions as shook the very foundation of the French Monarchy Whilst the Kingdom was involved in these Troubles the King's Education was in a manner neglected by those to who 's Tuition it was committed who made it their chiefest care to carry the young King from one Province to another to shew him to his People in hopes to restore by this last effort the decay'd and languishing Authority of the Government and by his Royal Prefence to keep them in Obedience Notwithstanding all these Obstacles Happy presages of his Youth the King began to give most evident proofs of his great and generous Inclinations for when he was scarce twelve years of Age such was his happy Genius that there appeared a discretion and reservedness in all his Actions much above what could be expected from so tender an Age shewing not the least inclination to those things which are the ordinary diversions of Children but an uncommon eagerness to be instructed in all manner of Exercises and a singular delight in hearing the relations of great and memorable Exploits These were the chief Entertainments of his Youth and it was always observed that if any thing happened to be related to him that was either above the common rate in its undertaking or surprising in its event there appear'd such a sprightliness in his Eves and whole Countenance as sufficiently testified his desire of signalizing himself by some memorable Action Is a Spectator of the Battle of St. Anthony July 2 1652. Full of this Noble Idea he waited with impatience for the time which might furnish him with an opportunity of giving real demonstrations of his great Inclinations and he was not quite 14 years of Age when knowing that his Army was ready to engage the Prince of Conde he entreated and pressed them so earnestly that to satisfie his most glorious desire they were obliged to place him on a certain Eminence where he could be a Spectator at least of a great part of the Engagement Lewis of Bourbon II Prince of Conde The Prince of Conde had for the last six years past been the Hero and chief Supporter of the Royal Party It was he that had gain'd the Battles of Rocroy Fribourg Nortlingen and Lentz And it was also the same Prince of Conde who at the beginning of the intestine commotions was so fortunate or rather dextrous as to block up the City of Paris with 7 or 8000 Men. 1649. There was something great and sublime above the rest of Mankind in this Prince He was endowed with a Courage undaunted in the midst of all Dangers His skill in Martial affairs was beyond what can be imagined or express'd On the day of Battle nothing was comparable to his Conduct either in choosing the advantage of the Ground or ordering and disposing his Troops in order of Battle or retiring and sustaining them with fresh Forces no body beyond him in pushing on an Attack with the utmost Vigour and in the heat of the Engagement to possess himself of an advantageous Post and to change the disposition of his Troops according to the various accidents and revolutions of the Battle a happy conjunction of many extraordinary Qualities if those great Souls elevated above the common Sphere were also capable of moderation His aspiring Genius nourished by evil Counsels prompted him to take up Arms against the King and having assembled a Body of Troops after several marches and counter-marches he at last posted himself near St. Cloue trusting to the nearness of the Bridge which might serve him for a safe retreat to avoid an engagement in case he should be attack'd by his Enemies who were superiour in number to him The two Marshals de Turenne and de la Ferte commanded two separate Bodies who to make sure work intended to inclose him betwixt their two Armies which the Prince having soon taken notice of he broke up from St. Cloue with an intention to march to Charenton and to entrench himself near that Bridge where by the nearness of the two Rivers Seyne and Marne it would be impossible to force his Camp The shortest way was to march thro' Paris but fearing least his Army should be considerably diminish'd by desertion in his march thro' the City or that the Citizens might deny him a Passage he changed his resolution and ordered his Troops to march round about as near the Suburbs as possibly could be He marched with all possible speed and precaution notwithstanding which Henry de la Tour d'Auvergne Vicount of en ne the Viscount of Turenne having got timely notice of it followed him so closely that after some hours march he attack'd him in the Rear and obliged him to come to an Engagement It was a happy chance for the Prince to meet with some old Retrenchments formerly cast up at the entrance of the Suburbs of St. Anthony behind which he posted his Troops to make head against the approaching Enemy He had scarce had leifure to put them in order of Battle when the King's Army animated by his Royal Presence attack'd his Entrenchments with incredible bravery As the King was at that time not much above 13 years of Age those that were about him could not sufficiently admire with what greatness of Courage and without shewing the least symptoms of fear he was an Eye-witness of the Engagement It was the greatest pleasure in the World to observe the various changes in his Countenance the effects of the different transports and motions of his Soul sometimes leaping for joy when he saw his Victorious Troops beat back those of the Prince sometimes blushing not so much for indignation as shame when the Prince forced the Royalists to retreat As in Civil Wars both parties are most incensed with mutual animosities so the bravest of both the Armies signalized themselves by some remarkable Action or other every one being prodigal of his Life to purchase Honour in this first encounter and to snatch the Victory out of his Enemy's Hands which thus remained uncertain for some time till after a bloody Combat of two hours fortune declared for the King whose Troops having made themselves Masters of the Entrenchments marched in good Order thro' the great Street of the Suburbs without any opposition from the Prince But scarce had they advanced half way towards the City when on a sudden they saw the Prince again appear at the head of his bravest Volunteers and other chosen Troops who charged them so vigorously that they forced them to retreat and to seek for shelter in the same Retrenchments from whence they had so lately forced their Enemies This varions chance of
thousand Men which he ordered to march towards the Rhine At their approach the Viscount of Turenne who was General of the King's Army on that side met them as far as in Franconia in hopes to draw them to a Battle but they being careful in avoiding an Engagement the Viscount could not prevent them from passing the Rhine in conjunction with the Prince of Orange and besieging Bonn. This place was without a Ditch its Fortifications being not quite brought to perfection notwithstanding which the French Governor with his Garrison consisting only of fifteen hundred Men defended himself so valiantly against so powerful an Army composed of three several Nations that they did not become Masters of it till after a fourteen Nights Siege As the Conquest of this City as well as that of Naerden Siege of Bonn. a small but well Fortified Place in Holland taken from us in the foregoing Month of September by the Prince of Orange seem'd to be the happy Fore-runners of the good success of this Alliance so the Emperor and Spain flatter'd themselves with the hopes of all those Advantages which the Dutch Ministers had put them in hopes of when they enter'd into the League The Emperor enter'd into the Alliance not only upon that score as having in view thereby to put a stop to the greatness of France which if it should over-run Holland and the Low-Countries would like an impetuous Torrent spread all over Germany but as looking upon this as a favourable juncture to encrease his Authority in the Empire It is very well known that for a considerable time past it has been the main design of the House of Austria to make themselves absolute in Germany by reducing these Princes under their Obedience This seem'd to be the most Critical juncture that could be to put this so long projected design in execution the Kings Conquests in Holland and his taking the City of Treves were the most plausible pretences in the World to bring a good Army into Germany without giving any suspicion to these Princes whom they hop'd to ruin one after another by drawing them into the Quarrel under the glorious pretext of taking up Arms for the defence of the Empire As for what concern'd the Spaniards they were cajol'd into a League by the fair promises of the Dutch who offer'd no less than the Restitution of Maestrick after it should be retaken and engaged themselves not to make either Peace or Truce with us before the French King should have surrender'd to them all what he had taken from them since the Pyrenean Peace A meer Tinsey wherewith to dazzle the Eyes of the Spaniards their intention being to keep no further to their promises than they should find it suitable to their own Interest as it sufficiently appear'd at the Treaty of Nimeguen when they oblig'd the Spaniards to accept of the same Propositions as they were projected by our King The Alliance of so many powerful Princes seem'd to foretel something extraordinary against France but thinking themselves not in a condition to undertake any thing of moment unless strengthen'd by the Power of England they left no stone unturn'd all that Winter to bring that King over to their side But all their great offers and fair promises would have proved fruitless upon this King who stood immoveable in his Resolution of adhering to our Interest if at last some of the Parliament Men who being perhaps overcome with the charms of the Dutch Gold Peace betwixt England and Holland had not pressed so hard upon that King that being no longer able to resist their importunities he made Peace with the Hollanders without declaring against France Our King was no considerable loser by the conclusion of this Peace his chiefest loss consisting in the recalling of a few English Troops for what had been concerted betwixt these two Kings about a Descent to be made upon the Dutch Coast had been found impracticable they having been sufficiently convinced by Experience that nothing of great moment ought to be expected from Sea Engagements as to the decision of the Fate of a War witness those three several Sea fights betwixt the Fleets of the two Kings and that of the Dutch in all which the ballance appear'd so little different that it was no easie matter to determine which of them ought with Justice carry away the Honour of the Victory there having been scarce any other advantage obtained on either side but to make a great noise without doing any considerable hurt Thus the Hollanders imagined that being now Masters at Sea they could not want an opportunity of ravaging our Coasts and to make themselves Masters of some places in France but they have been sufficiently convinc'd by their ill Success that unless an Enemy be assured of a good Port it is a very difficult task to make a Descent and cannot be undertaken without vast Charges which scarce ever quit cost However the Peace betwixt England and Holland appear'd to be the Signal to all the other Princes of Germany who now began to throw off the mask one after another and declar'd against us except the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Hanover who continued stedfast in their Neutrality For the Electors of Saxony Mayence of Treves and the Elector Palatin Germany and Denmark enters into a League as well as the Landtgraves of Hesse and Princes of Baden with most of the Circles of Germany did immediately take up Arms in favour of the Alliance The Elector of Cologne and Bishop of Munster left our Party to embrace that of the Allies and tho' the King of Denmark the Dukes of Brunswick and the Elector of Brandenburgh did not immediately declare against France yet did they engage in the Alliance from that time and promised to put themselves in a posture of assisting and promoting the common cause Now it was that the Hollanders had all the reason in the World to rejoyce at their good Success seeing they had by their good Management transferred the Burthen of the War from their own into their Neighbours Countries the King surrounded on all sides by his Enemies which the Dutch had raised against him having been obliged to abandon all his Conquests in the United Provinces except Grave and Mastricht which served to bridle them to make use of these Garrisons against the numerous Armies of the Allies Notwithstanding all these Advantages the States desired nothing so much as Peace considering that having now recovered what they had lost it would be very hard for them to maintain at their own Charge a War where now they had no further Interest but what they had in common with their Allies After a whole Twelve Months Debate about a Peace all Parties concern'd having at last accepted the Mediation of the King of Sweden sent their Plenipotentiaries to Cologne the place appointed for the carrying on of the Treaty The Conferences were frequently interrupted by several Accidents and new Difficulties which
the Reduction of the Place The King endeavoured by all means possible to bring them to a Battle but they were as careful to avoid it not having made the least motion but remaining in their advantageous Station for two Months together whilst the King remain'd on the Frontiers But no sooner had the King left the Army Siege of Mastrich and was returning into France when the Prince of Orange with the Dutch Army in conjunction with the Spaniards and some Auxiliary Troops of several German Princes who commanded their Forces in Person laid Siege to the strong City of Mastricht The King being sufficiently assured that the present condition of the Place provided with all Necessaries for a vigorous defence together with the Bravery of the Garrison and the invincible Courage and Experience of the Deputy Governour the Count de Calva a Catalonian by Birth who commanded in the Governour 's Absence would keep the Enemy in play for some time before they should stand in need of any relief took the advantage of this opportunity and whilst the Enemy was busied in that Siege he ordred the Marshal de Humiers to sit down before Aire one of the strongest and most considerable of that Country situate on the Frontiers of the Province of Artois The Marshal having made himself Master of it in five Days he attack'd the strong Fort of Linck which being soon forced to follow the Example of Aire the whole French Army by easie Marches moved under the Command of the Marshal Duke Frederick of Schomberg towards Mastricht The Besiegers had been employed in the Siege for near seven Weeks without having been able to make themselves Masters of the Counterscarp or any Out-works they had made many and very furious Attacks but had been always repulsed with great loss and their Army being by the many Sallies and Mines of the Besieged as well as by Mortality reduc'd to one half of what it was at the beginning of the Siege they judged it most advisable to decamp Siege of Mastricht raised Aug. 26. and to quit the Siege so soon as they saw the French Army approach towards their Lines they retreated with so much Precipitation that they left behind them fifty pieces of great Cannon for Battery six Thousand Musquets all their Provision and Ammunition with a great number of sick and wounded Soldiers The-Fleet which the States-General had sent into the Mediterranean Victories obtained in Sicily to endeavour the Recovery of Messina which City two Years before had shaken off the Spanish Yoak more out of a hatred of the Spaniards than a real love of Liberty had no better success than the rest It is certain that France had not been in the least concerned in this Rebellion but the King being two wise not to lay hold of so favourable a juncture and to improve it to his own advantage he sent them some Supplies which at first were but inconsiderable but were by degrees strengthened by several Reinforcements Lewis Vivone Spaniards beaten at Sea Duke Peer and Marshal of France beat the Spanish Fleet that block'd up the Harbour of Messina and brought a good supply of Provision and Ammunition into the Place on the 11th of April in the Year 1675. and in the same Summer in the Month of August made himself Master of Agousta a Port of no less consequence and conveniency than the former The Spaniards being put under no small apprehension of losing the whole Island of Sicily solicited the Hollanders to send a Fleet to their assistance into the Mediterranean and at the same time obtained from the States that the said Fleet should be commanded by Admiral Ruyter the most famous Commander at Sea at that time in all Europe Our King gave the Command of his Fleet to another brave Seaman who tho less famous yet was not inferiour to the other in Skill and Experience in Maritime Affairs This was one called Duquesne born at Diepe who from a simple Seamen as well as Admiral Ruyter had raised himself to the Supream Command of a Fleet. Both Fleets joyn'd in Battle in January in the Year 1676. The Engagement was so terrible and furious that according to the Letter written by Admiral Ruyter himself he never faw any thing like it in all his Life before But Duquesne forced the Hollanders to retreat and to leave a free Passage for his Ships into the Port of Messina which he entred in Triumph with his whole Squadron and the Convoy In the April next following the Dutch in conjunction with the Spaniards having attack'd the Port of Agousta Duquesne forced them to quit the Enterprize This Engagement was very bloody Admiâ—al Ruyter killed Ruyter himself received three Wounds one in the Head another in the Thigh and the third in the Foot of which he died in ten Days after The Enemies being put into a great Consternation by the loss of their Admiral durst not appear any longer at Sea but retired to Palermo to refit and to expect a fresh Reinforcemont But the Marshal and Duke de Vivone resolving to give them a Visit before they could be reinforced with fresh Supplies set Sail with his Squadron towards Palermo where he arrived on the second of January following he found them riding at Anchor at the very entrance of the Port in very good order but no sooner had he sent some Fire-Ships among them which set two or three of their Ships on Fire but the rest either ran a-shoar sunk themselves or blew up in the Air some few getting into the Port. The Ennemies lost twelve of their best Ships in this occasion The Dutch Fleet burnt in the Port of Palermo six Gallies with seven hundred pieces of Cannon and above five thousand Men. The Houses odjoyning to the Port and the whole lower Town were much endamaged by the pieces of Iron Bars and the broken Cannon and Ships which by the force of the Powder were thrown into the place and crush'd all to pieces where-ever they happen'd to fall The Marshal having obtain'd this Victory which was one of the most compleat that had been obtain'd for many Years before without any considerable loss on his side made all Italy tremble especially when they saw the French within two Months after Masters of Taormine of Sealette of St. Placida and many other small places along the Sicilian Coast The Confederates took in the Month of September the strong Fortress of Philipsburgh Philipsburgh taken by the Allies which after a whole Years Blockade and a Siege of three Months had been forc'd to Capitulate but the taking of this Place was look'd upon as a slender equivalent to counterbalance the losses the Allies had sustain'd this Campaign in other places It must be confess'd that Philipsbourg is a Place of great consequence both in respect of its Fortifications and Situation as being the inlet into Alsace and a Bridle to the Palatinate but it ought also to be consider'd that this long
had leisure given them to put themselves in a posture to receive them It is in vain to chose ones time unless it be improved to the best advantage For in the mean time the Duke of Luxemburgh order'd his best Battallions to advance with all speed who being posted where the Enemy must Attack us sustained by the Troops of the King's Houshold and these again by several other Bodies of Horse The Pass was so narrow that not being able to extend our Lines in Front we were forced to double them For the first two hours they fir'd most terribly on both Sides the Battallions advancing so near that they discharged their Musquets cross one another The Enemy fir'd more briskly than we for some time they got Ground of us and made themselves Masters of four of our Pieces of Cannon but the French perceiving that their Musquets were not likely to do the Work threw them down and being led only by their Officers but esspecially by the Princes the Duke of Chartres the Duke of Bourbon the Prince of Conty Duke de Maine and others charged the Enemy with their Swords in hand so furiously that they forced them to retreat many of whom were cut in pieces the rest saving themselves in an adjacent Wood. They were pursued for an hour after and the Field of Battle for a League together was covered all over with dead Carcasses which in some places lay six Foot high upon one another This Victory cost us two or three Thousand of our best Men among whom were many Persons of Merit and Quality especially the Prince of Turenue eldest Son to the Duke of Bovillon who died the day after the Battle of his Wounds The loss of the Enemy amounted to nine Thousand kill'd upon the spot and as many wounded We took nine Colours and ten pieces of Cannon but only thirteen hundred Prisoners the English refusing to ask Quarter It was much about the same time that the Duke of Savoy made an Irruption into the higher Dauphine The Duke of Savoy invades France in August where he lost abundance of his Men without striking a stroke The Confederates had for a considerable time before formed a Project of entring Dauphine and Provence flattering themselves with hopes that the new Converts would revolt and join them from all Parts of France To put their so long projected Design in execution the Governour of Milan and the Imperial General Caprara joined with their Troops the Duke of Savoy They carried along with them Arms for thirty Thousand Men and were provided with Ministers who in all places through which they passed endeavoured in their Sermons to sow the Seed of Rebellion and Calvinism among the People But they found themselves entirely mistaken in their Expectation the new Catholicks being so far from shewing the least Inclination for a Revolt that they were the most forward upon all Occasions to do what Mischief they could to the Enemy by drawing them into Ambushes and killing without Mercy all such as they met with stragling or otherwise detach'd from their main Body This was the Reason why the Confederates made but little Progress and their proposed Conquest turn'd to a very slender Account They took Guillestre in three days Ambrun held out six Gap being only provided with ten Men to keep the Gates receiv'd them without the least Resistance Guillestre is at present no more than a Country Town without any other Defence but two old ruin'd Bastions Ambrun is indeed a small City but defended only by a single Wall But the Besieged supplying the defect of their Fortifications by their own Courage defended the Place so well that the Enemies nemies were not Masters of it but with the Loss of above fisteen hundred Men. Thus ended this Expedition of the Duke of Savoy who being faln ill and finding his Army considerably diminished by Sickness and Fatigues repassed the Alpes carrying no other Spoils along with him but the Bells of Ambrun and Gap In the same Month the Marshal de Lorge obtained a Victory over six thousand German Horse in the Country of Wirtembergh if the Pursuit of a flying Enemy vanquish'd without effusion of Blood may be dignified with that Name For no sooner did the German Horse perceive the Vant. Guard of the King's Army but they betook themselves to flight The Germans routed near Phortzheim towards the latter end of August nine hundred of them were kill'd in the pursuit and six hundred taken Prisoners among the last was the Duke of Wirtembergh who commanded this Body in Chief The City Phortsheim was taken the next day by our Forces where they had laid up all their Provisions for the rest of the Compaign The Landgrave of Hesse was at that time taken up with the Siege of Eberenburgh a small Place fortified by the French for the conveniency of their Magazines but as soon as he received the News of this Defeat and the approach of the Marshal de Lorge in order to relieve the place he raised the Siege with so much precipitation that they left behind them some of the Cannon with all their Ammunition and all other Necessaries belonging to a Siege Most people were of Opinion that these frequent Distasters would have both exhausted the Strength and Hatred of the Confederates but flattering themselves with these vain hopes Campaign of 1692. that these Conquests would at last turn to the destruction of France they resolved to abate nothing of their Resolution in vigourously prosecuting the War and remaining steadfast in the Confederacy especially since the Prince of Orange K. William III. did not cease to insinuate to them by his Ministers that this was the only way left for their mutual Preservation since if they were not able when joyn'd together to ballance the Power and Success of our King's Arms it would be no difficult Task for him to vanquish them singly whenever he should take a Resolution to dispossess them of their Estates after the breaking of the League Both sides therefore made all imaginable Preparations to prosecute the War with more vigour than ever The Confederates to defend themselves against the Power of France our King to attack them afresh in the next Campaign This Campaign was opened in Flanders in the Month of January Furnes taken by the taking of Furnes its Garrison consisted of four thousand English and the Elector of Bavaria made all the necessary Preparations to Relieve it but it was surrendred in fifteen Hours being a Place of great Consequence to us to cover our Frontiers and to disappoint the Confederates in their Design of Besieging Dunkirk The Prince of Orange K. William III. had at several times promised the Allies to make a Descent in France which he now being resolved to put in Execution ordered a Fleet to be Equipp'd for that purpose provided with a good number of Flat-bottom'd Vessels for the Conveniency of Landing his Forces which were drawn together near the Sea-side opposite to
the French shoar The King being not ignorant of this Design to encourage his Subjects and take all necessary Precautions the King ordered a good Army to serve as a Guard of his Sea-Costs under the Command of his only Brother the Duke of Orleance The precaution as it was founded upon a sure Maxim of Prudence so it prov'd useless in its Consequence For all these vast Preparations and Threats vanished into Smoak the Troops design'd for this pretended Expedition being sent into Flanders which was only made use of to oblige our King to remove part of his Forces from the Frontiers to defend his own Coasts But this Amusement which was not carried on without vast Expences turn'd but to a very slender Account on the Enemies side without reaping any other Advantage by it than to Alarm our Sea-Coasts with the danger of an Invasion which being soon vanished the People took fresh Courage and were prepared to encounter it with less Surprize for the future For the King was so far from shewing the least Fear upon this Occasion that he attack'd the Enemies with new Vigour on all sides The Marshal de Noailles besieged Roses in Catalonia which place Roses taken tho' considerable for its Strength he took in eight days after opening of the Trenches to wit on the 29th of July Smyrna Fleet intercepted by Tourville The Marshal de Tourville was ordered towards the Streights to intercept the Smyrna Fleet of the English and Dutch of which he on the 29th of June betwixt Cadiz and the Bay of Lagos took burnt and sunk above fourscore Merchant men The rest were dispersed and the Squadron of Men of War which serv'd for a Convoy made the best of their Way towards the English Coast For many Years before neither of these two Nations had received such a Check in their Trade their Loss being esteem'd at thirty Millions of Livres In the beginning of this Spring our King appearing in Person in Flanders it was the general Rumour that he aim'd at Liege but after having given his final Orders concerning the Operation of the Campaign and detach'd near thirty thousand Men under the Command of the Dauphin to reinforce his Army near the Rhine he return'd into France The Mashal de Lorge had in the Month of May Heidelbergh taken and rased by the French made himself Master of Heidelbergh the Capital City of the whole Palatinate before the Enemy could march to its Relief and after having rased the Fortifications both of the City and Castle was marched directly against the Prince of Baden who Commanded the Confederate Army on that side and at the approach of the Marshal retreated before him but after the arrival of the Dauphin with the beforementioned Detachment he entrenched himself strongly at a Pass which he knew impossible to be forced chusing rather to undergo the Inconveniencies of Famine and many Distempers which afflicted his Troops in these inaccessible Places than to hazard a Battle or to decamp before the Dauphin for fear he should force him to come to an Engagement The Prince of Orange K. William III. did not entrench himself but kept the open Field in Flanders yet so as to avoid all Occasions of Fighting The Duke of Luxenburgh who had positive Orders from the King to engage him fained to march towards Liege to attack the Lines and Redoubts which surround that great City This succeeded according to expectation for the Confederate Army advancing near to the Duke to be ready to succour the City the Duke marched directly towards them and arrived in sight of their Camp about six or seven a Clock at Night The Prince of Orange K. William III. was not a little surprised at the suddenness of his March but finding himself under a Necessity to stand an Engagement the next Day he improv'd those few Hours he had to his best Advantage in putting his Troops in Order of Battle raising Batteries in convenient Places in fixing Pallisadoes at the Avenues leading to his Camp he caused two Villages which covered his Right and Left to be Fortified and lin'd the Houses and circumjacent Hedges with his best Infantry and strengthned his Front which reached to and took up all the Ground betwixt these two Villages He employed a great number of Pioneers all the Night long in making a Ditch six Foot broad and three quarters of a League long strengthned without with good Pallisadoes and defended within by a good Line and Redoubts upon which were mounted near a hundred pieces of Cannon The main Body stood behind this Entrenchment sustained by the Cavalry which was posted behind them in two Lines They were the finest Troops that could be seen On the other hand is it possible to imagine that our Soldiers could be so courageous or rather Fool-hardy enough to attempt the attacking of sixty thousand brave Men guarded by such strong Entrenchments The great Artillery began to play at break of Day Battle of Neerwinden 29. July on both sides without intermission till four a Clock in the Afternoon That of the Enemies did great Execution among us being placed upon an Eminency which commanded the Plain The oldest Officers did acknowledge never to have seen Cannon to play with so much Fury and at so little a distance for so long a time together which at a distance resembled more a Sea-Engagement than a Field-Battle The Enemies fired more frequently than we and their Artillery did much more Execution so that this Victory must be meerly ascribed to the invincible Courage of our Soldiery and it must be acknowledged that Philip Duke de Chartres the Duke of Bourbon and de Maine the Prince of Conty and the Count de Thoulouse had a great share in the Success of this Day There was not a Battallion in both the Army 's but what was Engaged in the Battle but the chief Attack was at a Village call'd Neerwinden which covered the Right Wing This Village was taken and retaken twice with great Slaughter till at last our Troops having maintained and strengthned themselves in this Post they entred the Plain and attacked the Enemy both in Front and Flank who received us very Courageously especially the English in the main Body who Charged six times with incredible Bravery but their Cavalry being brought into Confusion and drove into a River the whole Army begun to disperse and to quit the Field by whole Troops and Companies leaving the Victorious Enemy Master of the Field with threescore and sixteen pieces of Cannon eight Mortars nine Patteroons twelve pair of Kettle-Drums abundance of Arms threescore Standards two and twenty Colours and above two thousand Prisoners among whom were two hundred Officers The French lost above three thousand Men killed and four thousand wounded The Loss of the Enemy amounted to near twenty thousand Men both in the Engagement and Flight there being a great number drown'd in endeavouring to Ford the River which for a considerable time after was rendred
into the Air in the open Sea in the Sight of the People the same Chaloops also boarded and took one of their great Ships which they set on Fire They threw in all betwixt eleven and twelve Hundred Bombs which did so little damage that it might be all repair'd for thirty Pistols In hopes of better Success Calais Bombarded the same Fleet Bombarded Calais twice in the Month of August But the loss sustain'd by both these Bombardments did scarce amount to ten thousand Crowns Another convincing Instance of what we said before that their Enterprizes at Sea succeed but seldom and that they rarely prove answerable to the vastness of their Expences The main effort of this Campaign as well as of most of the others was made on the side of Flanders The Armies Encamped very numerous in the Field on both sides and thirty Thousand brave Fellows lost their Lives without coming to a Field Battle For these three years last past the Confederates had formed a Design to attack our Lines to ravage our Conquests and to besiege Dunkirk To prevent their Design the King ordered new Lines to be made from the Schelde to the Lis and from Courtray to the Sea-side Twenty Thousand Pioneers made a Ditch of fourteen Thousand Foot long fifteen Foot broad and twelve Foot deep with an Entrenchment behind it of ten Foot high in less than eight days time These Lines being a fresh Obstacle to the design of the Prince of Orange King William III. he assembled the Confederate Army with all possible diligence near Ipres to endeavour to obstruct the Perfecting of this Work the Lines on that side being not quite brought to Perfection Our Army was above five and twenty Thousand Men inferiour in number to theirs and much harassed by a long March of twice four and twenty hours and consequently not in a condition without taking some repose to make any considerable resistance besides that not above one half of their Train of Artillery was arrived in the Camp The Confederate Army consisted of above an Hundred Thousand Men all fresh Troops provided with a prodigious Train of Artillery so that every thing seemed to concurr to their advantage but they let slip the opportunity of attacking us at the right nick of time for in a few hours after our Cannon arrived in the Camp and our Troops having refreshed themselves a little the Lines were brought to Perfection the next following Night Thus having miss'd their aim they made an attempt upon Fort Knock Attack of Fort Knock. which they attacked three several times and were as often repulsed with the loss of two Thousand Men so that in eight days time they had not got an Inch of Ground But a little time convinc'd the World that a much greater Design was carrying on under the pretence of this Attack For in the mean while the Prince of Orange King William III. had sent some of his best Troops towards the Mesue and so soon as he had received advice that the Troops of Liege and Brandenburgh had invested Namur he and the Elector of Bavaria followed in Person with the rest of the Army to assist at the Siege leaving only thirty Thousand Men under the Command of the Prince of Vaudemont in the Lower Flanders Namur was so well provided with every thing necessary for its defence that it was not questioned but it would make a long and vigorous resistance Lewis Francis Marshal of Bouflers had thrown himself into the place the same day it was Invested There was a Garrison in it of ten Thousand eight hundred Men many good Officers and a great number of brave Volunteers and Ammunition more than was requisite for its defence all which advantages appeared to be such obstacles to the Enemies that most were of Opinion they would be too many for them to surmount and that they would be forced to quit this Enterprize The Marshal de Luxenburgh died in the beginning of January of a Pleurisie Death of the Marshal de Luxenburgh which proved a considerable loss to the King there being not a General left who surpassed him in Experience and Conduct by which he had made his Name glorious to the World and dreadful to the Enemy The King having received news of the Siege sent his Orders to Francis de Neuville Villeroy Marshal of France who suceeded the Duke of Luxenburgh in the Command of the Grand Army in Flanders to enter the Lower Flanders and if possible to fight the Prince of Vaudemont Retreat of prince Vaudemont Pursuant to these Orders he advanced towards the Enemy who would infallibly have been put to the rout if the Prince pursuant to his Orders of avoiding any Engagement had not found means to make a safe Retreat so that in lieu of routing the whole Army of which in all humane appearance but few could have escaped we were forced to be contented with the defeat of two of their Regiments who were most of them cut to pieces in the Pursuit The most Fortunate Retreat that ever was made for if the Princes Army had been routed the Confederates must of necessity have raised the Siege of Namur Ten days after this retreat the Duke de Villeroy Besieged Dixmuyden The taking of Deinse and Dixmuyden which place surrendered in four and twenty hours Deinse opened its Gates at the approach of our Forces There were above eight thousand Men of well disciplin'd Troops in these two places who were all made Prisoners of War besides which we found the Magazine as full of all sorts of Ammunition and this part of the Country having been preserved on purpose by the Confederates our Soldiers got an incredible Booty By the Conquest of the two Places our Forces having open'd themselves the waytowards Ghent and Antwerp the Flemmings as well as the Hollanders were extreamly allarm'd at it especially when they saw them advance but slowly in the Siege of Namur tho' they were plentifully provided with every thing for a vigorous Attack and that they had the advantage of very fair Weather whereas at the time when we besieged it our Forces were not only to fight against the bravery of the Garrison but also against the Inconveniencies of a Rainy and Stormy Season They had raised before it thirty Batteries upon which were mounted an Hundred and thirty pieces of Cannon Siege of Namur by the Allies and Fourscore Mortars This dreadful Artillery play'd without Intermission against the Place as long as the Siege lasted in which they consumed three Millions of Powder Their Army was very formidable and constantly reinforc'd with fresh Troops what Place is able to hold out against such an Attack Notwithstanding all these Advantages the Confederates could not be Masters of the whole till after a Siege of two Months the Besieged like brave Soldiers disputing with them every Inch of Ground Of this we saw an Instance at the taking of the Entrenchments which were made only in haste at some
to his own Credit and Interest as to our King's Protection and the prudent Management of the then Bishop of Marseilles Coll. Johnson and the King's Ambassadour in Poland a great Politician and one of those extraordinary Persons who by their singular Merits become honourable to their Age and Highly Serviceable to the Church and State This King acquir'd immortal Glory about nine Years after when he left his Kingdom and marched in the year 1683 to the relief of Viena But ever since that time he had altred his measures and in lieu of prosecuting the War with vigour against the Infidels had given himself over to Idleness his main Care being to heap up such Treasures for his Children as to put them in a Condition either to obtain the Crown after his Death John Sobieski K. of Poland or at least to put them beyond the want of it whereas the best Treasure he could have left to his Children would have been to bless them with the Love of the People But these gave such evident demonstrations of the little esteem they had for his Family by pillaging his Estate during the Interregnum that it sufficiently appear'd to the World that his memory was become odious to them After the Death of this Prince a general Diet was call'd together in order to chuse a Successor to the Crown At this critical Conjuncture when most Princes of Europe were engaged in a War it was no wonder if each Party pretended to maintain their Interest at this Election The Election of a King of Poland inclining either to the Interest of France or the Confederacy being look'd upon at this juncture of time of such Consequence as to carry along with it no small Influence towards the raising or diminishing the Hopes of the Confederate Princes each Party therefore were not sparing in making Intrigues for or against the Interest of such a Person as they either wish'd to be elevated or excluded from the Throne of Poland Among the rest that pretended to the Crown was the present Czar of Muscovy His Empire is of a very vast extent Candidates for the Crown of Poland Czar of Muscovy reaching from the Boristhenes to the utmost Confines of the North and on the other side from the Frontiers of Sweden to the River Tanais It was represented to the Poles how glorious 't would be to their Nation to chuse a King who Commanded over so vast a Country but they wisely consider'd that their Liberty would be in no small danger under so Potent a Master who was able to bring them under Subjection by the Force of his own Arms. Duke of Lorrian The young Prince of Lorrain eldest Son to the late Prince Charles entred also the List of the Candidates not so much in hopes of succeeding in it as out of an Ambition of being put in the same Rank with the rest in his younger Years There was also much Discourse of Prince Lewis of Baden Prince Lewis of Baden This Prince was a great Master of the Art of War and had had great Success against the Infidels in Hungary whom he had vanquish'd at several times The Emperour in acknowledgment of his Services and the Prince of Orange K. William III. out of a particular Respect for his person would without all question have espoused his Interest if by joynt-consent of the Confederates it had not been judged more advisable to support the Faction of Prince James Sobieski Pr. James of Poland Brother-in-Law both to the Emperour and the Elector of Bavaria Every thing seem'd to concur for his Advantage He was eldest Son to the late King he wanted not Riches to purchase the Voices and Protection of the Great ones The Princes of Germany had espoused his Interest as well as the Dutch the Emperour and Prince of Orange K. William III. made use of all their Credit to promote his Elevation to the Crown But all these Advantages which in all outward appearance seem'd to be the most proper means to compass his Design prov'd perhaps the true cause of his Disappointment For his near Alliance with the House of Austria had raised a Jealousy in the Polish Lords lest he should when once their King improve it to their disadvantage and be encourag'd by the Neighbourhood of the Emperour to make use of his Power to the prejudice of their Liberty The pressing Sollicitations made in his behalf by the German Princes began to be suspected by the Populace by reason of a certain Jealousy and Emulation which is always to be observed betwixt two Potent neighbouring Nations He was as Liberal in his Promises to pay the Debts of the Crown in case he was elected King as profuse in his Money to gain the Hearts of the Poles but in vain nothing being able to remove the Aversion they had conceived against him The Confederates finding the Poles thus disposed began to despair of the Success of the Prince for which Reason they raised a new Faction for the Elector of Saxony The Elector promised to turn Catholick and there were not wanting those Elector of Saxony who assured them that he had abjured the Lutheran Religion two or three Months before notwithstanding that since that time he had made publick Profession of it He offered ten Millions for the Payment of Arrears due to the Army who during the time of the Interregnum had revolted for want of Pay He promised also to maintain at his own Cost fifteen thousand Men and never to make Peace with the Turks till he had restored all what they had taken from the Poles These specious Offers would perhaps have influenced the Poles to prefer the Elector before the rest if the Eyes and Hearts of the Polish Nobility had not been guided by the real Prospect of more solid Advantages The French Ambassador the Abbot Malehoor de Polygnack recommended to them Francis Lewis de Bourbon Prince of Conty Prince of Conty the eleventh Prince of the Royal Blood of France who promised to pay their Troops all their Arrears in ready Money and to retake Caminieck without the least Expence to the Commonwealth The Prince of Conty had gained the Esteem of all Europe not only by his Courage but also by many great and generous Actions and his unparallell'd Moderation He had Signaliz'd himself in the War in Hungary and since his Return had given many Demonstrations of his Valour to the World At Steenkirk and in the Battle of Neerwinden he had shew'd himself both an expert General and a brave Soldier These great Qualifications which made very favourable Impressions in the hearts of a War-like People received a new Lustre by our King's Recommendation to the Chief Men of Poland But this Negotiation met with no small Difficulties as being opposed by almost all the rest of the Princes of Europe The Ministers of these Princes insinuated without intermission to the Poles that to chuse a French Prince would be to put all