Spaniards had taken no care of. But with all the En. A. C.
deavours and Application that could be us’d, his 1677.
Highness could not come to the Relief either of
Valenciennes or Cambray, but with part of the For-
ces of the States alone, and without either Troops,
or so much as Guides furnish'd him by the Spania
ards, he march'd directly towards St. Omer, fully
refolv'd to raise that Siege with the hazard of a
Battle, at what disadvantage foever. The Duke
of Orleans leaving a small part of his Troops to
defend his Trenches before St. Omer, marched to
meet the Prince of Orange, and upon the Way was
reinforc'd by Monsieur de Luxemburgh, with all the
Forces the King of France could spare out of his
Army, leaving only enough to carry on the At- Battle of
tacks before the Cittadel of Cambray. These Ar-Monteaf-
mies encountred, and Fought with great Bravery fel, April
and Resolution at Montcasel, where after a sharp u. 1677.
Dispute, the first Regiment of the Dutch Infantry N. S.
began to break. The Prince, perceiving their Dil-
order, went immediately to that part where the
Shock began, rally'd them several times, and re-
new'd the Charge, but at last was quite born
down by the plain Flight of his Men, whom he
was forc'd to refilt like Enemies. He fell in among
them with Sword in Hand, and cutting the first
cross the Face, cry'd out aloud, Rascal ! i'll see a
Mark on thee at least, that I may hang thee afterwards,
Voice nor Action, Threats nor Example could
give Courage to Men that had already lost it; and
so the Prince was forc'd to yield to the Torrent of
these Runaways, that carried him back to the rest
of his Troops, which yet made a stand; with
whom, and what he could gather of those that had
been routed, he made a Retreat, that came little St, Omer
short of a glorious Victory. However the Natural
Consequence of this Battle was, the Surrender of the French
St. Omer, and the Cittadel of Cambray, and a more
eager desire in the United Provinces after the Con-
clusion of the Peace, seeing the Spaniards were so
negligent in the Defence of their own Territories;
and that they conceiv'd no great hopes of a Con-
ference that had been held at Wesel, between the

Elector

taken by

A. C Elector of Brandenburgh, the Danish Ambaffador, 1677. Pensioner Fagel, Admiral Van Trump, and several

Envoys of German Princes, concerning the Opera. tions of the Campagne on the side of Germany. Af. ter the taking of those Places and a Battle wor, the French thought it Prudence to Play a saving Game, and to act on the Defenlive all the reft of the Summer.

In the mean time the Spaniards Reasoning only from what they thought the Interest of their Neigh. bours, which is generally a fallacious Argument in Politicks, supinely abandon'd to their Care the Preservation of Flanders. They knew Holland would fave it if they could; and England, they were fure could, if they would; and believ'd would be brought to it at last by the Encrease of the Danger, and the Humour of the People. In this Presumption they were fondly entertain'd by their Ministers then in England, Don Bernardo de Salinas Envoy from Spain, and Fonseca Conful there, who very industrioully fomented the Heats that began about this time to appear in the Parliament, upon the Successes of the French Arms both in Flanders and Sicily, which mov'd them, about the end of March, Ear. nestly to desire His Majesty to put a stop to them, before they grew dangerous to England, as well as to their Neighbours. Don Bernardo de Salinas told fome of the Commons, that the King was incenfed at this Address, calling the Authors of it,' Company of Rogues, which made a great Noife in the Lower-House. The King resented it as a piece of Malice in Salinas, or at best a Design to infame the Commons, and Order'd him to depart the Kingdom within certain Days. Nevertheless about à Month after the Parliament Addressd the King upon the fame Score, desiring his Majesty to enter into an Oftenfive and Defensive Alliance with the United Provinces, for opposing the Career of the Conquering Arms of France. This the King receiv'd as an Encroachment on his Prerogative, made them an Angry Answer, and prorogu'd them the Week following

However the King of France obferving every A. C. Motion both of his Friends and Enemies, and more 3677. particularly the Temper of the English Parliament, had so much Regard to the Jealoufies rais'd both in England and Holland, of his designing an intire Conquest of the rest of Flanders, that His Majesty, after having, gain'd these three considerable Frontier Towns in the Spring, and dispos’d his Army into Quarters of Refreshment, went to Dunkirk, from whence he sent the Duke of Cregus to Compliment K. Charles II. and carry him a Letter containing in Substance, That to meme he had no inten. The King of tion to Conquer Flanders, but only to make a General France Peace, he was contented notwithstanding the great Ad-?

proposes *

Truce. vantages and Forces he had at present, to make a General Truce for some Tears, in Case his Allie, the King Sir W. of Sweden, would agree to it; which he defir'd His Temple's Majesty to inform himself of, since he had not Conve- Memoirs, nience of doing it, for want of Liberty of Couriers in- p. 263. to Sweden.

There were various Constructions made of this Letter, and it was generally look'd upon as a Po. litick fetch of the French King, to put His Britannick Majesty upon waving the Declaration, which his Parliament so urgently prest him to. At Nimeguen the French Ambafiadors made a great shew of it among the several Ministers there, till they found it had an Effect contrary to what was in. tended, and was taken by all for too gross an Artifice. Monsieur Beverning, the Dutch Plenipotentiary, tho' of all others the moft forward for a Peace, yet resented it to that Degree, that he faid openly, that the French were to be commended, who never negleded any thing of Importance, nor so much as of Amusement. That France had given their Blow, and nome would hinder their Allies from giving theirs. That the Reserve of Sweden's Consent was an eafie way of avoiding the Truce, if the Allies should accept it; that this it self could not be done because Flanders would be left so open, as to be easily swallow'd up by the next Invasion, having no Frontier on either side. That the Towns nom Pollessd by France, would in the time of & Truce, grow absolutely French, and so the

A. A. harder to be restor'd by a Peace or a War, That, for bo 1677. Part,he desir'd the Peace,contrary to the Politicks of Mon insieur Van Beuninghen, and the other Ministers of the Advances Allies in England, affirming always, that notwithstandof the

ing all their Intrigues and Intelligences there, he, MorDutch to-fieur Beverning, was assur’d, That His Britannick Ma. wards the jesty would not enter into the War to save the last Toma Peace.

in Flanders. In pursuance of this Confidence of his. he follow'd all the ways imaginable towards a Peace, and by such steps as some thought forwar. dér than his Committion, and very ili concerted with those of the Allies; so that about Fuly all Points were adjusted between the French and Hc!. landers; and Monlieur Beverning began to act the Part of something more than a Mediator, presling on his Allies towards a Peace, with great Earnestness, not to say. Roughness; tho’ but with very small Effect; for there was little more done of any Moment towards it the rest of this Summer, fave the Messages that past to and fro about the Business of the Duke of Lorrain.

In the mean time the Ministers of the Confede. rates made great Instances in England, that His Majesty would recal his Troops that were in the French Service, attributing most of their Successe: in Germany to the Bravery of those English Regi ments. But His Majesty excus'd it upon the equali ty of Mediator, since there were likewise English Troops in the Service of the Allies, who took this Answer, however, for an ill sign of the Profecution which they hoped from His Majesty for the Support of their Languishing Affairs. The Expectation of those great Actions promis'd by the Imperialists this Campagne upon the Rhine, began to wear out, their Troops finding no Subsistance in those Countries, which had been wholly ruin'd by the French in the beginning of the Year to prevent their March: The Prince of Orange reflecting on all these Circumstances, and foreleeing no Resource of the Confederates, unless from the King of England; and that he was like to spend the rest of the Summer in Flanders in Marches and Countermarches, the French resolving got to ha

zard anorher Battle, and he not able to sit before a A. C.
Town, and oppose a French Army that should come 1677.
to relieve it, His Highness fent Monsieur Bentinck
over into England, about the beginning of Fune, to
defire his Britannick Majesty's leave that he might
make a Journey thither, fo soon as the Campagne
ended, both to pursue his intended Marriage, and
to concert Measures with His Majesty to bring
France to reasonable Terms. The King return'd
him a civil Answer, but with wishes, that he would
first think of making the Peace, and rather defer
his Journey till that were concluded.

About the middle of Fuly Sir William Temple
went over to England, being recall'd by King
Charles, to enter upon the Secretary of State's Of
fice, which Mr. Coventry had offer'd His Majesty to
lay down, upon the payment of Ten thousand
Pounds. When he came to Court, the King fell
often into Conversation with him, and generally
in his Closet alone, or with none other present be-
sides the Duke of York and the Lord Treasurer.
The Subject of these Discourses were usually the
Peace, and the Prince of Orange's Journey into
England. The King always expreit a great desire
for the first, but not at all for the other till that
was concluded. He said, “ His Parliament would

never be quiet, nor easie to him while the War " lafted abroad, That they had got it into their “Heads to draw him into it, whether he would or

no. That they pretended publick Ends and

Dangers from France, and there might be both “meant by a great many honest Men amongst “ them ; but the Heats had been rais'd by some “ Factious Leaders, who thought more of them“ selves, then of any thing else; and had a mind “to engage him in a War, and then leave him in “it, unless they might have their Terms in re

moving and filling of Places; and he was very 6 loath to be so much at their Mercy. That be“ fides he saw the longer it continued, the worfe “it would be for the Confederates; and therefore "she wonld fain have the Prince make the Peace for them, if they would not do it for them

S felves