A. C. 1690. 66 "it for Your Sacred Head, for the Accompli "My Words, and the Treaty which I have "Sign'd at the Hague, with Your Majefty's Mini"fters, do but faintly exprefs the Paffion which my "Mafter has to unite himself by the most inviolable "Ties to Your Service. The Honour, Sir, which "He has to be related to You, has tied the first "knots of this Union; the infinite Refpect which "He has for Your Sacred Perfon has, as it were, "knit them fafter, and the generous Protection "which You are pleas'd to grant Him, will, with"out doubt, make them indiffoluble. Thefe are "the fincere Sentiments of his Royal Highnefs, to "which I dare not add any thing of mine; for "how ardent foever may Zeal may be,and how prc"found the Vencration which I bear to Your glo"rious Atchievements, I think I cannot better ex"prefs either, than by a Silence full of Admiration. Though King William never fhew'd the leaft Tincture of Vanity, yet he could not but be pleas'd with a Speech which contain'd fo many agreeable Truths, dreft in fo genteel a manner; and indeed it argues ill Nature, not to fay Ferocity, rather than Greatnefs of Soul, to be altogether infenfible of Praife; for juft Commendation as it is a powerful Incentive to Virtue, fo it is its proper Reward. The good Effects of Count de La Tour's Complimert appear'd appear'd in the happy Succefs of his Negotiation;for A. C His Majefty, gladly laying hold of this opportunity 1690. to engage the Duke of Savoy in the Confederates Intereft, promis'd him speedy Afliftance, and was as good as his Promife. in Flan The Affairs of Italy infenfibly have brought us Campaign over into England, let us return to the Continent. ders. As the Enemies of France encreas'd, fo fhe feem'd proportionably to encrease in Power, being very Formidable this Year, not only by Sea, of which the Confederate Fleet felt the Effects. but alfo by Land. The Allies being fenfible of this, it was agreed, that the Army of the States under Prince Waldeck, fhould oppofe in Flanders, that of France, Commanded by the Duke of Luxemburg; while the Elector of Brandenburg fhould, upon the Mofelle, obferve the Marquis de Boufflers. But the French, according to their usual forwardnefs, having taken the Field betimes, the Dutch were conftrain'd to draw out of their Garrifons to attend the Enemy, before thofe of Brandenburg were come to the Pofts allign'd them, which gave Boufflers an opportunity to encamp between the Sambre and the Meufe, from whence he maintain'd a free Communication between his Army and that of Luxemburg. The Dutch, under thefe Circumftances, encamp'd near the River Picton, in one of the most advantageous Posts in all Flanders, waiting till the Brandenburgers took the Field, and thereby caus'd the Enemy to divide their Forces; but in the mean time the Duke of Luxemburg drew near the Sambre, with a defign to cross that River between Namur and Charleroy, and then to wafte the Spanish Countries or put them under Contribution. The Prince of Waldeck knowing of what Importance it was to keep the French beyond the Sambre, and moreover being powerfully folicited by the Spaniards to oppofe the Designs of the Enemy, decamp'd froin the Pieton on the 29th of June (New Stile) and the the next Day detach'd the Count of Berlo, with 1500 Horfe, to obferve whether the French endeayour'd to pafs the Sambre or no. This Detachment Q ૬ Was A. C. was, in cafe of need, to be fupported by four or fiv 169. Regiments of Cavalry, Commanded by the Coun! de Flodrop; and the Count of Webbenum, with anothe Party of Horfe, was posted on this fide a narro Lane, which was to be pafs'd thro' before they could come at the Enemy. Berlo being advanc'd as far as the Village of Flexri (or Flerus) found that a good part of the Freed Army had already pafs'd the Sambre, and posted themfelves against the Village, which they kept t their Backs; of all which he infantly inform't Prince Waldeck, who was pofted between Meain and Fleuri. On the other Hand, the Enemy having notice of Berlo's Approach, march'd directly towards him; And at the fame time the Duke of Luxem burgh difpatch'd away feveral Troops privately through By-ways to fall upon him in the Rear. Thereupon Berlo fent for a Reinforcement, efpecially of Foot, but instead of fending him more Force, they gave him orders to Retreat: Yet he receiving not thofe Orders till he was almost invelop'd on every fide, was oblig'd to put himself in a Condition to defend a narrow Lane,which he had before poffefs'd by his Dragoons. The Enemy charg'd him very vigorously, and there he loft his Life, as did alfo Major Caftleman and fome other Officers. The Count of Flodrop was likewife advanc'd too far to retire without Fighting; and indeed his Party stood their Ground very ftoutly for a while, but being opprefs'd with Numbers, they were forc'd to retreat to Monfieur Webbenum, who commanded the third Detachment, and was posted on the other fide of the Hedge. Some Squadrons of the French boldly purfu'd Flodrop through the Hedge, but they were fo vigorously repuls'd, that they were constrain'd to make more hafte back again. When this was over, Flodrop and Webbenum · joyn'd their main Army, which was drawn up in order of Battle, and continued in that Pofture all that Night. The next Morning the Dutch underftood by a Deferter, that the Duke of Luxemburgh was refolv'd to Fight; but two Spies, who made it their bufinefs to betray both Armies, reported prefently fently after, that he was repaffing the Sambre. Prince A. C. Waldeck continu'd in this uncertainty till Eight in 1690. the Morning, when he faw the French drawn up in Battle-Array, and that there was a neceflity of Engaging. The Durch Army confifted only of about Five and Twenty Thoufand Men, the Spaniards and Brandenburghers, who fhould have Reinforc'd them, not being yet come up; fo that the Prince could not make above two Lines, which extended from Fleuri to St. Arnand. The French Army was above Forty Thoufand Men trong, Luxemburgh having almost drain'd the French Frontier-Towns, and having been reinforc'd three Days before by Eighteen Battallions of Foot, Forty five Squadrons of Horfe from Boufflers's Army and the FlyingCamp of the Count de Gournay. The Fight being refoly'd upon, Prince Waldeck gave the Command of his Right Wing to the Prince of Naffau, General of the Horfe, accompanied by Lieutenant General d' Huby, a Spaniard, and the Prince of Birkenfield, with his Brigadiers; and affign'd the Charge of the the Left Wing, and the main Battle, to the Prince of Naffeu, Governor of Friezeland, and Marefchal de-Camp, and the Lieutenant Generals d'Alva and Webbenum. He likewife, before the Fight began, fent fome Horfe to line the Right Wing of the Army, which was advantageoufly pofted; but whether none were fent to line the Left, or that those who were commanded thither did not perform their Duty, the Enemy, without being perceiv'd, flipp'd Battle of feveral Troops behind a rifing Ground and a finall Flerus, Wood near the Sambre, who pofted themfelves be-July 1. hind the Second Line of the Left Wing. This . S. constrain'd that Line to face about and turn their Backs to the Firft, whereby being very much weakned, fome Batallions of the Right Wing were fent to fecure their Flank, and aflift them to maintain their Ground. The Duke of Luxemburgh no fooner obferv'd that Motion, but he told the Duke de Maine, who was then next him, See what the Enemy are doing, I foretel they will be beaten. Which faid, he order'd the Left Wing to be attack'd at the fame time in the Front Rear and Flank. The firft Line being Q92 A. C. being already weaken'd to reinforce the Second 1690. was foon forc'd to give Ground; whereupon the Enemy march'd on to the Second, to fall upon their Rear. By this Time, that Line was advanced to make Head against the Cavalry, which they had before them, and which they had drove back in Disorder upon the French Infantry; but the Enemy having Three Lines, fo that no fooner was one overturn'd, but fresh Battalions renewed the Fight, they with more eafe repulfed the Dutch, quite tir'd with the Onfets they had already fuftain'd. Prince Waldeck obferving the Left Wing in a staggering Condition, and that the Horfe had, for the most part, given Ground, fent to their Relief the Horfe of the Second Line of the Right Wing, from whence the Foot had already been drawn for the fame purpofe. While this was doing on that fide, the Firs Line of the Right Wing was alfo engaged with the Enemy, and had bravely repulfed, and routed them feveral times, being fupported by the Spanish Horfe, who made themfelves Mafters of Ten Pieces of the Enemies Cannon, and kept them a confiderable time; But the French having Three Lines on that fide alfo, and being continually fupplied with fresh Men, the Dutch Cavalry was difpers'd and broke to that degree, that the whole Body could never be rallied again. Indeed Count Flodrop made a fhift to gather about one Thoufand two Hundred Horfe after an Hours Riding from the Field of Battle, and brought them on again, but then it was too late, for the Infantry was retreated. From this time, during the whole courfe of this War, the Dutch Horfe hd the Misfortune to be accounted the worst among the Confederates; and,indeed, had they behav'd themselves as well as the Infantry,on this occafion,the Victory would certainly have been on their fide, notwithstanding the inequality of Numbers: As for the Foot,never did any Troops perform greater Wonders; for after they were forfaken by the Horfe, they alone fuftain'd the Charges perform'd of the French Cavalry and Infantry, and being attack'd in Front, Flank and Rear, all at once, yet they remain'd firm, unbroken and impenetrable. Wonders by the Datch Foes. They |