A. C. Encamp'd on the other fide the River Pieton, to 1674. prevent the Defigns of the Enemy.

See his

Memoirs,

&c.

Sir William Temple being arriv'd at the Hague, Negotiation deliver'd his Credentials to the Prefident of the of Sir W. Week, and made a Visit to Penfioner Fagel, Temple, wherein he difcover'd a strong Inclination in the States to a Peace, as far as the Honour and Engagements to their Allies would allow them, and pag. 35 was affur'd of the States accepting his Majesty's Mediation. After this, his Excellency went to Antwerp,in hopes to have found the Prince at hisCamp there, between Antwerp and Louvain, where he had lain fome_time, expecting the advance of the Confederate Troops; but his Highness having march'd beyond Louvain two Days before, Sir William went to Bruffels, there to defire a Guard to convey him to the Camp. Having fent his Secretary to the Count Monterey with his Compliments, and Defires of a Guard, the Count return'd the first very coldly, and the other with Excufes that amounted to a Refufal. The Truth was, that the Spaniards were grown fo jealous of his Majefty's Mediation offer'd at the Hague, of the States and People's violent Humour to a Peace, and of the Offices they thought his Excellency might ufe to flacken the Prince of Orange in the vigorous Pro fecution of their prefent Hopes and Deligns,that he found it was refolv'd to delay first, and then to hinder any Interview between the Prince and him, till the Campagne was ended. Sir William Temple being fenfible of this, very prudently return'd to the Hague, where he had long Converfations with the Penfioner, by which he gain'd the Lights neceffary to discover the whole prefent Scene of Affairs and feel the Pulfes of the Confederates, in what related to the General Pacee." His Excellency told him, how much his Majefty was fatisfied with that he "had lately made with the States, how much he "was refolv'd to continue and to cultivate it. How "much Reafon he had to be content with the Po"ture that had left him at Peace with all hisNeigh"bours, while they were all at War. That Advantages of Commerce from it, were enough to

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"make

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47 make him trouble himfelf no farther about the A. C. "Peace of Christendom, if his Goodnefs and Piety 1674 did not prevail more with him, than his Inte "reft. But that thefe, and the defire of a General "Good, had perfwaded him to offer his Mediati"on in the prefent Quarrels. That it had been al"ready accepted by France, and that the EmpeCC rour and Spain had anfwer'd, they would con"fider of it,in concert with their Allies. That the "States Ambaffadors at London, had affur'd his Majefty, their Mafters would be pleas'd with it, "and doubted not their Confent, that the Treaty "fhould be at London, and that thereupon his Majefty had charg'd him with a Letter to the States ' to offer them his Mediation. That he could not doubt their accepting it with the best Grace "that could be, for he knew their Intereft was to "have a Peace, and not to difoblige the King. "That if his Majefty were Partial to any fide,

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ઃઃ

..

..

they ought to believe,it would be to that where "in his own Nephew was fo deeply concern'd; and "the more becaufe he offer'd his Offices to wards . a Peace, at a time when the Advantage and the Preparations for the War run fo high on the "French fide, as he doubted the Events might fhew if it continued. That they knew his Majefty's Intereft would not fuffer him to fee Flan "ders loft; and that confidering what had past, "his Honour would not fuffer him to think of preferving it any other way than by that of a Peace. "That he would be glad to fee that Country left "by the next Peace in a better Pofture of De"fence, than it was by the laft; and the Spanish "Territories lie clofer and rounder than they were "then left. And that when this fhould be conclu"ded, his Majefty would be ready to enter into "the ftrongeft Guarantees they could defire, and "might with Honour enter into a War to preferve it, though he would not to obtain it.

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The Penfioner gave Sir William Thanks for his good Offices in the late Peace, and in all the Mea fures of Friendfhip that had interceded between his Majefty and them, fince the first Breach; He applauded

A. C. applauded the King's Refolution in fo Pious and 1674. Genercus an Offer; that he doubted not the States willingness to accept, all the difference would be about the time and the manner of doing it.

this, he faid, they could not do it without the Communication at least of their Allies; but would immediately give them part of his Majefty's Offer, and the States Difpofitions to receive it. That for the Terms of Peace, as to their own Parts, they would be content to make his Majesty the Arbiter of it; That they had lately recover'd all the Towns they had loft, except Grave and Maeftricht, the last of which was in fome manner engag'd to Spain, when it should be recover'd, and for the other they doubted not to have a good Account of it very Soon, Orders being already given to Invest it. But he doubted whether their Allies would be fo eafie in their Expectations or Demands; and that 'twas impoffible for the States to leave them, who had fav'd their Country from Ruin, when two fo great Kings had Invaded them; nor to break the Treaties which they had made Offenfive with the Emperor, Spain, and Brandenburgh. That the Terms ftipulated with Spain oblig'd them to reduce France to the Treaty of the Pyrenees; but only a Referve was made by one Article, which was, nnless it fhould be otherwife agreed by confent between them. That whatever Spain would be content with fhould fatisfie them, though they were both equally Senfible of the Defigns and Ambition of France, as well as of their Grudge to the States. That they could never hope for fuch another Conjuncture, to reduce them to fuch Bounds and Meafures as might be fafe to their Neighbours, and give quiet to Chriftendom. That it was an ill time to enter into the Terms of a Peace between France and Spain, because they knew they should have ill Grace to demand the Reftitution of any Towns the Spaniards had loft in Flanders by the last War, and given up by the Peace that fucceeded it, and yet bis Majesty knew as well as they, that without it a Peace could never be fafe for Flanders, nor for Holland nor confequently for England. But he believ'd there would not pass many Days before fome decifive Action would happen between the two Armies, now not far diftant in the Field, which would make room for the Negotiation

;

Negotiation of Peace that might fucceed next Winter, A. C. in which his Majesty would find the Interefts and Hu- 1674: mours of a Trading Country, as theirs was, very Strong, and difpos'd to press their Allies, as far as was poffible, to facilitate fo great and fo good a Work. And

for the rest of the Allies, befides Spain, he had no reaJon to fufpect any great Difficulties would arife, fo little having yet pafs'd in the War between France and

them.

Memoirs.

The Penfioner had reafon to expect fome fudden The Famous Action between the Armies; for about the middle Battle of of Auguft was fought the Battle of Senef, between Senef, the Confederates under the Command of the Prince Auguft of Orange,and the French under the Prince of Condé, 1674. But it prov'd not anAction fo decifive as was expect. Sir W. ed from two Armies of fo great Force, and fo ani Temple's mated by the Hatred and Revenge of the Parties, as well as by the Bravery and Ambition of the Commanders. The Succefs of this Fight was fo differently reported by thofe that engag'd in it, that it was hard to judge of the Victory, which each challeng'd, and, perhaps, neither without great Reafon. The Confederates had for fome Days fought an Engagement with great defire and endeavours, and the French avoided it with Refolution not to fight, unless upon evident Advantage; whilft both Armies lay near Nivelle, and not far diftant from one another. The reafon of this was thought to be on one fide the Ardour of the Young Prince of Orange, to make way by a Victory into France it felf, and there revenge the Invafion of his Country,and at the fame time to make the firft Eflay of a pitch'd Battle, against fo great and Renown'd a General as the Prince of Condé was. On the other fide, this Old Captain had too much Honour to lofe, and thought he had not enough to gain, by entring the Lifts with a Prince 23 Years Old, Bred up in the fhade of a contrary Faction, till he was forc'd into the Field by the French Invafion of the Low-Countries. Nor was the Advantage lefs on the French fide,in theReputation of their Troops, than of their General, compos'd of excellent Of ficers, chofen Soldiers, exactly Difciplin'd, long

E

Train'd

A. C. Train'd up for Action before they began it,and now 1674. flefh'd by the uninterrupted Succeffes of two Wars. Whereas the Dutch Troops, when the Prince of Orange enter'd upon the Command of them, were old or lazy Soldiers, difufed with long Peace, and difabled with young unskilful Officers, (chofen upon no other Merit than that of Faction against the Houfe of Orange) then fill'd up, when the War broke out with hafty, and undiftinguifh'd Levies, and difheartn'd with perpetual loffes of Towns, and defeats of Parties, during the two firft Campagnes. The Prince of Condé had another restraint upon the ufual Boldness of his Nature upon fuck occafions, which was the ill Pofture he had been in at Court fince this King's Reign, and in regard how much more he would have to Anfwer for than another Man upon any great Misfortune to his Army, which must have left the way open for the Confederates to enterFrance,unguarded on that fide by any ftrong Frontier, fo as no Man knew what hake it might give to the Greatness of that Crown, with the help of great and general Difcontents, whereof this Prince was thought to have his fhare. Upon thefe Difpofitions in the Generals, the Battle was for fome time induftrioufly fought and avoided, till the Prince of Orange, believing there was no way of coming to a General Action, but by the Siege of fome Place, that might be thought worth the venture to relieve, broke up and march'd towards Senef, on the other fide of Bins, his Army being divided and Commanded as I have faid before.

The Prince of Condé obferving the march of the Confederates, which was not far from one fide of his Intrenchments; and that by the ftraitness of Paffages they were forc'd to file off in fmall Lines, ftaid till the Van-Guard, with a confiderable part of the Main Body was over one of thefe Paffes, when he drew out his Men and fell with great Fierceness upon the Rear of the Spaniards, broke them with great Slaughter, and not much Refiftance, took their Baggage, and several Standards, and many Prifoners of Note. The Prince of

Orange