A. C. Nephew to the Marquis das Minas, was fent to Tole 1706. do to compliment the Queen Dowager, and he wait

ed alfo on the Cardinal, who renewed to him his Proteftations. Care was alfo taken to fend circular Letters to all the Cities and Towns, to exhort them to follow the Example of the capital City, which many did; and the Tribunals, or Courts of Judicature, were order'd to adminifter Juftice in the Name of King Charles which they readily obey'd: All this paffed very quietly, and without the leaft Oppofi

tion.

The main Application of the Confederate Generals was to fend daily Expreffes towards Arragon and Valencia, to prefs the King to come and join them with all the Forces he could affemble; and Orders were fent likewife for all the Troops that could be drawn from the Province of Abeira, to begin their March immediately towards Madrid. The Provifions they had brought with them, being almost confum'd, they made Application to fuch Men as were thought most understanding, with whom they contracted for the providing the Army with Bread, and for a Referve of Bisket; and the better to enable them to perform what they undertook, fome Mony was advanc'd to em. Madrid being before the Confederate Camp it was thought more advisable to cover that City, and hinder its Communication with the Enemy as much as poffible: Hereupon on the 25th of July,, they incamp'd at Puente de los Viveros, having the Xarama before them; and here they had Advice, that a Detachment of Englife Troops, under General Windham, had made themselves Mafters of Requena, which opens an entrance from Valencia into. Caftile. The Confederate Generals the better to coyer Madrid threw a Rody of Infantry into Alcala, under the Command of the Conde de Toraca, erected there their Ovens, repair'd the Mills, and fet their Bakers at Work. The Enemy endeavour'd to carry away fome Cattle from the Neighbourhood of Alcala; but fome of their Parties were defeated, Madrid and oblig'd to quit their hold.

People in

uneafie at

In the mean time the People of Madrid, having King no News from King Charles, began to be very unCharles's cafy. The Difaffected gave out, That he was fick, Not coming and had no Thoughts to come there; and, at the

to them.

fame

he was

Dead.

fame time, industriously difpers'd Lifts of the Troops A. C. that came from France, which, they faid, would 1706. foon enable King Philip to cut off all the Portur gueze, and chaftize thofe, who fhew'd their Affection to the Houfe of Austria. Thefe Reports made the greater Impreffion on the unfteady Minds of the People, by reafon fome days after two Two Monks Depofe that Priefts did publickly make Oath, that King Charles was dead, and that they had seen him imbalm'd: The Confederate Generals caus'd one of them to be arrested; but having no certain Accounts whereby to deftroy their falfe Depofitions, they were not able to difabufe the people. On the 7th of July, Several they fent to the King, by the way of Valencia, the Expresses Captain of the Huffars, with Thirty Troopers to fent toKing prefs his Majefty to come to them. The Command-Charles." er of that Party loft moft of his Men, who were kill'd by the Pealants in their March; notwithstanding which he reach'd the King, as well as feveral Couriers, tho' a greater Number fell into the Hands of the Enemy.

*

After the Raifing of the Siege of Barcelona, the Earl of Peterborough went from thence by Sea, to Valencia, with fome Infantry, and it was expected, That according to the Refolutions taken in feve-* See the ral Councils of War, King Charles fhould march Appendix thither, by Land, with the Horfe, and fo haften Number together to Madrid, which undoubtedly was the VIII.p.82. wifeft Counfel his Catholick Majefty could have follow'd. But many Delays were used in the Profecution of it, fo that it was the 2d. of July before his Majefty came to Tarragona, where being inform'd of Arragon the good Difpofition of the Kingdom of Arragon to-declares for wards him, Count Noyelles was order'd to march K. Charles with fome Troops thither. He was met at Cavern, feven Leagues from Saragoffa, by the Deputies of the Kingdom of Arragon, having with them 800 Horfe, and 2000 Foot. On the 5th of the fame Month, he Count arrived at Saragoffa, being receiv'd a League without Noyelles the City by the Militia, as well Horfe as Foot, and arrives at at the Gate by 100 Gentlemen in Arms, who all fol- Saragofa. lowed him to his Lodgings,through Crowds of PeoThe Magiple, that made loud Acclamations. ftrates complimented his Excellency; The Nobiliof Arragon, and Deputies from most of the Towns U 4

ty

were

A. C. were come there to make their Submiffion to King 1706. Charles; and fwore Allegiance to his Majefty, in in prefence of that General.

Portu

gueze En

voys proteste

upon

way.

Whether this Torrent of Succefs, or a vain Belief that the Duke of Anjou and the French Army would never return again into Spain, or fome other Motive, prepail'd with K. Charles, his Catholick Majesty unSee the happily chang'd this mind of going by the way of Appendix Valencia for Madrid. The Earl of Peterborough, and p. 84. thofe that were with him, were mightily furpriz'd, after a Months waiting at Valencia, to find that his Catholick Majefty had been advis'd and prevail'd by the Prince de Liechtenstein and the Count de Cifuentes to alter the former Measures atTarragona, where K. Charles they refolv'd to go to Mad id by the way of Arragon, refolves to on Pretence of fetling that Kingdom, which had go to Ma-then declared for him. The Envoy of Portugal, and drid by the Major General Stanhope, Her Majefty's Envoy ExWay of Ar-traordinary, did both proteft against this Counsel, ragon. and urg'd to have their Reafons enter'd in Writing, The Eng- The Subftance of which was. 1. That Arragon belifh and ing not well furnish'd with Provifions, it would be "very inconvenient for the Troops to march that 2. That the Enemy having then 6000 good Horfe again ready to obferve his Motions, His Majefty could. not march that way without vifible Hazard. 3. That though that Road were fafe, it would be the lofs of Six Weeks time, before he could arrive at "Madrid, and that Time was of great Importance to him, in fuch a Conjuncture. Thofe about him who were for his going by the way of Arragon alledged, That it was not for his Majesty's Honour to go to Madrid, in a Hurry, without his Equipage and Retinue. To which it's faid. Mr. Stanhope_reply'd, That King William, when he made his Defcent upon England went to London in a Hackney-Coach, attended by a few Dragoons, otherwife he might have loft the Crown. However the other Counfels prevail'd, and King Charles purfued the Refolution of going by the way of Arragon. When the Earl of Peterborough heard of thofe Meafures, he fent many Letters, with the unanimous Opinion of his Councils of War, That it would be beft for his Majefly to return, and go by the Way of Valencia: But his Lordship's Letters, and the Opinion of the

it.

Councils

Councils of War, had no Effect. His Majefty went A. C. on to Saragola, where the great Expectation of 1706. thofe, who advis'd him to that Road, terminated in being complemented with a Bull Feaft, and fpending about Thirty Days in a very fruitlefs and unhappy Progrefs. When they faw, too late, that Dangers approach'd, and that the direct way from thence to Madrid was not practicable, then they altered their Measures again, took the Road towards the Frontiers of Valencia, and fent to defire that the Earl of Peterborough would meet them with all poffible haste.

Several

In the mean time, the People of Arrevalos, a Place Towns rife where Don Francifco de Ronquillo, Prefident of Caftile, of the Duke in favour has his Houfe, were the firft that rofe, and took up of Anjou. Arms. The Inhabitants of Segovia, their Neighbours, follow'd their Example, and almost all Old Caftile did the fame; which retarded the Coming of the Convoy of Provifions which the Allies expected; cut off their Communication with Portugal, and hinder'd them from receiving any more Corn from Old Caftile. The Inhabitants of Mancha did, foon after The Confeappear likewife in Arms, in favour of the Duke of derate ArAnjou and 'twas not long before thofe of Toledo be- my reduced gan to infult the Queen Dowager. Moreover the to great Perfons with whom the Confederate Generals had Streights. contracted at Madrid, not being able to furnish them with the Quantities of Bread they had promis'd, by reafon there was but little of the old Corn left; that the new was not yet thrafh'd, and that they could get none, either from Old Caftile, or Mancha, which generally fupply Madrid, it was refolv'd to march to Alcala, that they might be nearer their own Provifions, which they did on the 11th of July; And, at the fame time, fent fome Detachments towards Mancha, in order to reduce the Rebels, and bring in Corn. One of thofe Detachments confifting of 200 Horse, and 300 Foot, was oblig'd to fight a Body of Peafants at Quintanar; and though they defeated that undifciplin'd Militia, yet the Allies had on that Occafion a Colonel of Horfe, who commanded the Party, Five Captains, and Fifty private Men, kill'd. On the other hand, the City of Toledo declar'd for, and proclaim'd again, the Duke of Anjou, fome Peafants of the Places that had taken up Arms against

the

A. C., the Portugueze, and who had fecur'd most of the 1706. Paffes over the Tags, having entred the City.

The15th of July,theConfederate Generals march'd with the Horfe and Foot of the firft Line to Guadalaxare, upon Account of the Goodness of the Air and Water; the Conveniency of Forrage, and the AdThey march vantageoufnefs of that Poft: But the rest of the Arto Guada my, with the Artillery and Provifions, continued enJaxara, camp'd at Alcala. The fame Day they were inJuly is form'd, that King Charles was come to Saragoffa,whereN. S. upon they dispatch'd thither Quarter-Mafter-General Colonel Bourguet, with 30Troopers, to defire his Majefty not Bourguet to lose any Time; but repair, with all fpeed, to ent to the Madrid, with all his Troops: And Colonel Bourguet King.

was ordered, either to return himself, or fend a politive Account,what they were to depend upon.

When they begun to thrafh the Corn in the Country, the Allies fent up and down Detachments of of Horfe, who caused fome to be brought to Alcala, from whence they drew more certain Subfiftence, than from those we had contracted with at Madrid, who never furnishid them with half of what they had promis'd. In the mean time they receiv'd daily Intelligence, by Deferters, Prifoners, and People that return'd to Madrid, that the French Troops were arriv'd; and the Enemy's advanc'd Guard of Horfe was fo near that they cried to that of the Allies, That they would fhortly have their Revenge, and 'make them fly in their Turn.

.

The Confederate Generals began to be very uneafy for there were great Murmurings in Madrid, and the People in all Places did not fhew the fame refpect for their Troops, as they did before. Hereupon it was refolv'd to fend to Toledo, a Detachment of Two thoufand Foot, Five hundred Horfe, and Four Pieces of Cannon. in order to reduce the Place; caufe it to be fortify'd; erect Magazines there; leave in it the heavy Baggage, and afterwards keep the Field with a light Army; that they might the fooner withdraw to Toledo, if they were prefs'd that Poft being the beft they could take; for thereby they became Masters of the Paffage over the Tagus, and might, at the fame time, preferve their Communication with Portugal and Valencia. That Detachment was to march the 26th of July,under the

Com