6 A. C. Then addreffing himself to the Affembly, the Duke 1706. of Medina Celi added, "That if there were any Dif'contented amongst them, who were enclin'd for the Arch-Duke, they were free to retire, and their Revenues would be remitted to them, whitherfoever they fhould go; but, that, if, after this Declaration, any of them fhould betray their Prince, and the Nation, they might depend upon it, that their "Heads would be ftruck off on a Block, and their "Eftates confifcated; And, that if any thing was difcover'd in his own Conduct, contrary to the 'Intereft of his Prince, he confented to be made an 'Example. The French Notwithstanding what Monfieur de Puifieux adKing's vanc'd in his Speech to the Switzers, that the French Councils King's Loffes did not disturb bis Councils, yet the Dedißurb'd. feat of the French Army in the Netherlands, and the furprizing Confternation among their Troops, oblig'd that Court to makeAlterations in the Command of their Forces: A thing fcarce ever before practifed The Duke in the middle of a Campaign. The Duke of Venof Ven- dofme being their moft profperous, if not their dofme re-ableft General, they thought it to recal him from call'd from Italy, and give him the Command of the Army in Italy. the Netherlands; and to appoint the Duke of Orleans to fucceed him in the Command of the Army in Italy, having the Marefchal de Marcin, and the Duke of la Feuillade, under him. The Preamble of the The Pream-Commiflions of the Dukes of Orleans and Vendofine, Duke of betray fome important Truths, and therefore deOrleans's ferve to be fet down in this Place. That of the Commiffion Duke of Orleans was as follows: ble to the Landis France EWIS by the Grace of God, King of France Greeting. Having thought fit to give our most dear and well beloved Coulin the Duke of Vendofme, the general Command of our Armies in Flanders, and it being neceffary to choose a Chief to take upon him in his ftead the general. Command of our Armies in Italy, we have refolved to fend our most dear and most intirely beloved Nephew the Duke of Orleans, as well to gratifie the ardent Defire he has long express'd to be at the Head of our Troops, and and by fignalizing his Valour to promote cur Glory The Patent of the Duke of Vendofme is ftill more remarkable. ་ A. C. 1706. EWIS, &c. Notwithstanding the continual And of the Progrefs our Armies in Italy have made, under Duke of the Conduct of our Right Well beloved Coufin, Venthe Duke of Vendofme, lince the opening of the dofme's. Campaign in the Year 1702, when we trufted him with the Command of our Troops, feem to invite us to leave him the Care of finifhing the War on that fide: Yet the Neceflity of putting at the Head of our Armies in Flanders, a General, who may gain the Confidence of the Officers and Soldiers, and restore to the Troops, that Spirit of Fortitude and Boldness fo natural to the French Nation; and the Knowledge we have that no other is more capable to answer our Expectations than our Coufin aforefaid, have determined us to recal him from Italy, to give him the Command of our Armies in the Low Countries; being perfwaded that his Services will be more ufe ful to us, and that in any Country whatfoever where he fhall make War, it will be as glorioully as in taly. Therefore, &c. The A. C. The French King was much deceiv'd in his Ex1706 pectation, for the Duke of Vendofme made but an Indifferent Figure in Flanders; where Fortune and The Conti- Succefs did conftantly attend the Duke of Marlbo nuation rough and Monfieur d'Auverquerque. His Grace havof the Duke ing, in one Day, concerted with the States Deputies of Marl- the further Operations of the Campaign, and agreed borough's about the Government of the Cities and Towns Campaign. lately conquer'd, fet out the 11th of June N. S. from His Grace the Hague, in order to return to the Army, and lay fets out that Night at Moore-Dyke. The next Day, as his Grace was proceeding on his Journey, he was met at Merxem, two Leagues from Antwerp, by the Bifhop of that City, attended by all the Clergy, both tion at Secular and Regular, who affur'd his Grace of their Antwerp inviolable Loyalty and Affection to King Charles the June 13. Third, and to the Houfe of Auftria; Acknowledg from the Hague for the Army. His Recep N. S. ing, at the fame time, his Grace to have been the Glorious Inftrument of their happy Deliverance from the Tyranny of France, under which they had labour'd ever fince the Death of King Charles the Second. The Margrave of Antwerp, with the Burgomafters, and the rest of the Magiftrates, attended his Grace at fome Diftrance from the City, where the First Penfioner, in the Name of the reft, made a Speech to the fame Purpose as the Clergy had done before, and prefented his Grace the Keys of the Town,telling him, They had never been Deliver'd up to any Perfon fince the great Duke of Parma, and that after a Siege of Twelve Months. His Grace, at his Entry into the Town, was receiv'd with all the Honours and Ceremonies ufually pay'd to their Sovereign Princes, 150 of the Principal Citizens going in Proceflion before the Coach his Grace was in, with lighted Flambeaux, to the Bishop's Palace, where he was fplendidly entertain'd, and lodg'd that Night. The Marquifs de Terrazena, Grandee of Spain, and Governor of the Citadel, who had declar'd for King Charles the Third, waited on his Grace during the whole Solemnity: and the Streets were crowded with infinite Numbers of People, continually repeating, with the greatest Marks of Joy and Satisfaction imaginable, Long Live King Charles the Third. His Grace left Antwerp the 13th carly in the morning, and arriv'd the fame Evening in in the Camp at Arfele. When the Garrifon of Ant A. C. werp was to march out according to the Capitula- 1706. tion, one Spanish and one Walloon Regiment ftay'd be hind entire; and of the other Regiments of thofe He arrives Countries, there were fcarce 150 left when they at the Camp pafs'd by Bruffels, most of the Officers and Soldiers at Arfele. entring into the Service of theCatholick King; as did likewife the Marquefs de Winterfeld, Lieutenant-General, and Governor of Lier, who commanded the Garrifon in the City of Antwerp, and the Baron de Vrangle, a Major-General, being a Man of the First Quality, and of great Credit among the Troops. 6 On the 14th of the fame Month, General Churchil, Regula Governor of Bruffels, caus'd a Proclamation to be aftions made fix'd at the ufual Places; importing, That he General Churchil, judg'd it neceffary for the Service of his Catholick Majefty Charles III. and to prevent many In- Bruffels, Governor of conveniencies, to command all French-men, Milita-June 14. ry, or others, not Burghers, or Houfe-keepers in N. s. that City, not to ftir out of their Dwellings on the' 'faid 14th Day of June 1706, in the Afternoon, on Pain of Imprifonment; having directed Paffes for their retiring fafely to be given to all fuch as fhould defire the fame; Declaring, That if 24 Hours af ter that time, any French-men, not Burghers, or Houfe-keepers, fhould be found in that City, they fhould be treated as Spies, and hang'd. All Innkeepers, and other Inhabitants of that City, were that Morning to deliver to his Excellency a per'fect Lift of all the French, who lodg'd in their Houfes pursuant to an Ordinance of the Magiftrates of that City publifh'd the day before; All Spaniards, who were come thither from the Garrifon of Antwerp,and would not acknowledge CharlesIII. for their Lawful Sovereign, nor could produce Paffes from Brigadier Cadogan, fhould be treated as the aforefaid French-men; and the Wives of all French Of 'ficers or Soldiers, except fuch as by reafon of Sicknefs were confin'd to their Beds, were to retire 'from thence in 3 Days, on Pain of Imprifonment, and Forfeiture of all their Goods and Effects. While the Enemy lay near Courtray, they were The Frene's reinforc'd by the Detachment of Foot, which Mar- and Confefhal de Marcin was leading from Germany, the Horfe mies are of that Detachment, having join'd them before the reinforc'd. 6 M 4 Battle derate Ar A. C. Battle: And other, Detachments, both from the 1706. French Army on the Upper-Rhine, and from the King's Houthold, were order'd to Flanders. On the other hand, the States-General, caufed 20 Battalions to march out of feveral Garrifons to reinforce the Army under the Duke of Marlborough and Monfieur d'Auverquerque and at the fame time, the Troops of Hanover, and thofe of the King of Pruffia, which ferv'd last year on the Rhine, advanc'd towards Brabant with fpeedy Marches, to make up their former Slownefs. Thus the Confederates being ftill much The Siege Superior, it was refolv'd to befiege Oftend, a Town of Oftend more famous for the Siege it fuftain'd in the laft Age, refolu'd on against all the Forces of Spain, than for the Good nefs of its Fortifications; but which, neverthelefs, is very confiderable, in regard of its Situation, which covers great Part of Flanders, and its being a SeaPort Town, and a Neft of Privateers which very much_annoy'd the Trade of the English and Dutch. The Enterprize feem'd the more difficult, by Reafon the Place could only be attack'd on one fide and that a very narrow one: However, whilft the Grand Army was taking fome Reft and Refreshment, General FeThe Fort of gel, who was encamp'd at Oudenburgh, took Sword in Plaffen Hand, the Fort of Plaffendael, which is not far from dael takenOftend, and facilitated the Reduction of that Town. June 15. It was refolv'd, at the fame time,to make an Attempt N. S. upon Newport, in order to which Monfieur d'AuverThe Defign querque, with 41 Battalions and 30 Squadrons apupon New. proach'd that Place the 18th of une, and immediately made fome Difpofitions to attack it; but meeting with Difficulties, efpecially from the letting out of the Sluces,which would have rendred that Siege more tedious than was expected, it was thought fit to begin The Siege with that of Oftend, and accordingly he decamp'd the of Oftend. 19th from the Neighbourhood of Newport, and en port afide. laid camp'd at Mariekerke, near Fort Albert, within half a League of Oftend. It was intended to open the Trenches the 20th, but the Ground being very low, and it being impoffible to dig, in fome Places, a Foot and a half, without finding Water, the fame was put off till they had got together a fufficient number of Fafcines and Gabions to cover the Workmen and Soldiers. Wonderful Diligence was used to get all things in a readiness;, yet in the Coun |