increas'd the Apprehensions of their Danger, that they renew'd their
March, the same Day; though what they had taken before would have
satisfy'd them much better without it. On the other hand, the Earl was
so well pleas'd with his Success, that leaving the Enemy to fly before
their Fears, he made a short Turn towards _Castillon de la Plana_, a
considerable, but open Town, where his Lordship furnish'd himself with
four hundred Horses more; and all this under the Assurance that his
Troops were driving the Enemy before them out of the Kingdom. Hence he
sent Orders to Colonel _Pierce's_ Regiment at _Vinaros_ to meet him at
_Oropesa_, a Place at no great Distance; where, when they came, they
were very pleasingly surpriz'd at their being well mounted, and
furnish'd with all Accoutrements necessary. After which, leaving 'em
canton'd in wall'd Towns, where they could not be disturb'd without
Artillery, that indefatigable General, leaving them full Orders, went on
his way towards _Tortosa_.
At _Vinaros_ the Earl met with Advice, that the _Spanish_ Militia of the
Kingdom of _Valencia_ were assembled, and had already advanc'd a Day's
March at least into that Country. Upon which, collecting, as fast as he
could, the whole Corps together, the Earl resolv'd to penetrate into
_Valencia_ directly; notwithstanding this whole collected Body would
amount to no more than six hundred Horse and two thousand Foot.
But there was a strong Pass over a River, just under the Walls of
_Molviedro_, which must be first disputed and taken. This Brigadier
_Mahoni_, by the Orders of the Duke of _Arcos_, who commanded the Troops
of the Duke of _Anjou_ in the Kingdom of _Valencia_, had taken care to
secure. _Molviedro_, though not very strong, is a wall'd Town, very
populous of it self; and had in it, besides a Garrison of eight hundred
Men, most of _Mahoni_'s Dragoons. It lies at the very Bottom of a high
Hill; on the upper Part whereof they shew the Ruins of the once famous
SAGUNTUM; famous sure to Eternity, if Letters shall last so long, for an
inviolable Fidelity to a negligent Confederate, against an implacable
Enemy. Here yet appear the visible _Vestigia_ of awful Antiquity, in
half standing Arches, and the yet unlevell'd Walls and Towers of that
once celebrated City. I could not but look upon all these with the Eyes
of Despight, in regard to their Enemy _Hannibal_; with those of Disdain,
in respect to the uncommon and unaccountable Supineness of its
Confederates, the _Romans_; but with those of Veneration, as to the
Memory of a glorious People, who rather than stand reproach'd with a
Breach of Faith, or the Brand of Cowardice, chose to sacrifice
themselves, their Wives, Children, and all that was dear to them, in the
Flames of their expiring City.
In _Molviedro_, as I said before, _Mahoni_ commanded, with eight
hundred Men, besides Inhabitants; which, together with our having but
little Artillery, induc'd the Officers under the Earl of _Peterborow_
reasonably enough to imagine and declare, that there could be no visible
Appearance of surmounting such Difficulties. The Earl, nevertheless,
instead of indulging such Despondencies, gave them Hope, that what
Strength serv'd not to accomplish, Art might possibly obtain. To that
Purpose he proposed an Interview between himself and _Mahoni_; and
accordingly sent an Officer with a Trumpet to intimate his Desire. The
Motion was agreed to; and the Earl having previously station'd his
Troops to advantage, and his little Artillery at a convenient Distance,
with Orders they should appear on a slow March on the Side of a rising
Hill, during the time of Conference, went to the Place appointed; only,
as had been stipulated, attended with a small Party of Horse. When they
were met, the Earl first offer'd all he could to engage _Mahoni_ to the
Interest of King _Charles_; proposing some Things extravagant enough (as
_Mahoni_ himself some time after told me) to stagger the Faith of a
Catholick; but all to little Purpose: _Mahoni_ was inflexible, which
oblig'd the Earl to new Measures.
Whereupon the Earl frankly told him, that he could not however but
esteem the Confidence he had put in him; and therefore, to make some
Retaliation, he was ready to put it in his Power to avoid the
Barbarities lately executed at _Villa-Real_.
"My Relation to you," continued the General, "inclines me to spare a
Town under your Command. You see how near my Forces are; and can hardly
doubt our soon being Masters of the Place: What I would therefore offer
you, said the Earl, is a Capitulation, that my Inclination may be held
in Countenance by my Honour. Barbarities, however justified by Example,
are my utter Aversion, and against my Nature; and to testify so much,
together with my good Will to your Person, was the main Intent of this
Interview."
This Frankness so far prevail'd on _Mahoni_, that he agreed to return an
Answer in half an Hour. Accordingly, an Answer was returned by a
_Spanish_ Officer, and a Capitulation agreed upon; the Earl at the same
time endeavouring to bring over that Officer to King _Charles_, on much
the same Topicks he us'd with _Mahoni_. But finding this equally
fruitless, whether it was that he tacitly reproach'd the Officer with a
Want of Consideration in neglecting to follow the Example of his
Commander, or what else, he created in that Officer such a Jealousy of
_Mahoni_, that was afterward very serviceable to him in his further
Design.
To forward which to a good Issue, the Earl immediately made choice of
two Dragoons, who, upon promise of Promotion, undertook to go as Spies
to the Duke of _Arcos_, whose Forces lay not far off, on the other Side
a large Plain, which the Earl must unavoidably pass, and which would
inevitably be attended with almost insuperable Dangers, if there
attack'd by a Force so much superior. Those Spies, according to
Instructions, were to discover to the Duke, that they over-heard the
Conference between the Earl and _Mahoni_; and at the same time saw a
considerable Number of Pistoles deliver'd into _Mahoni_'s Hands, large
Promises passing at that Instant reciprocally: But above all, that the
Earl had recommended to him the procuring the March of the Duke over the
Plain between them. The Spies went and deliver'd all according to
Concert; concluding, before the Duke, that they would ask no Reward, but
undergo any Punishment, if _Mahoni_ did not very soon send to the Duke a
Request to march over the Plain, in order to put the concerted Plot in
execution. It was not long after this pretended Discovery before
_Mahoni_ did send indeed an Officer to the Duke, desiring the March of
his Forces over the Plain; but, in reality, to obstruct the Earl's
Passage, which he knew very well must be that and no other way. However,
the Duke being prepossess'd by the Spies, and what those _Spanish_
Officers that at first escap'd had before infus'd, took Things in their
Sense; and as soon as _Mahoni_, who was forc'd to make the best of his
way over the Plain before the Earl of _Peterborow_, arriv'd at his Camp,
he was put under Arrest and sent to _Madrid_. The Duke having thus
imbib'd the Venom, and taken the Alarm, immediately decamp'd in
Confusion, and took a different Rout than at first he intended; leaving
that once formidable Plain open to the Earl, without an Enemy to
obstruct him. In some little time after he arriv'd at _Madrid_, _Mahoni_
made his Innocence appear, and was created a General; while the Duke of
_Arcos_ was recall'd from his Post of Honour.
The Day after we arriv'd at _Valencia_, the Gates of which fine City
were set open to us with the highest Demonstrations of Joy. I call'd it
a fine City; but sure it richly deserves a brighter Epithet, since it is
a common Saying among the _Spaniards_, that the Pleasures of _Valencia_
would make a _Jew_ forget _Jerusalem_. It is most sweetly situated in a
very beautiful Plain, and within half a League of the _Mediterranean_
Sea. It never wants any of the Fragrancies of Nature, and always has
something to delight the most curious Eye. It is famous to a Proverb for
fine Women; but as infamous, and only in that so, for the Race of
Bravoes, the common Companions of the Ladies of Pleasure in this
Country. These Wretches are so Case-hardened, they will commit a Murder
for a Dollar, tho' they run their Country for it when they have done.
Not that other Parts of this Nation are uninfested with this sort of
Animals; but here their Numbers are so great, that if a Catalogue was to
be taken of those in other Parts of that Country, perhaps nine in ten
would be found by Birth to be of this Province.
But to proceed, tho' the Citizens, and all Sorts of People, were
redundant in their various Expressions of Joy, for an Entry so
surprizing, and utterly lost to their Expedition, whatever it was to
their Wishes, the Earl had a secret Concern for the Publick, which lay
gnawing at his Heart, and which yet he was forced to conceal. He knew
that he had not four thousand Soldiers in the Place, and not Powder or
Ammunition for those; nor any Provisions lay'd in for any thing like a
Siege. On the other Hand, the Enemy without were upwards of seven
Thousand, with a Body of four Thousand more, not fifteen Leagues off, on
their March to join them. Add to this, the Marechal de _Thesse_ was no
farther off than _Madrid_, a very few Days' March from _Valencia_; a
short Way indeed for the Earl (who, as was said before, was wholly
unprovided for a Siege, which was reported to be the sole End of the
Mareschal's moving that Way.) But the Earl's never-failing Genius
resolv'd again to attempt that by Art, which the Strength of his Forces
utterly disallow'd him. And in the first Place, his Intelligence telling
him that sixteen twenty-four Pounders, with Stores and Ammunition
answerable for a Siege, were ship'd off for the Enemy's Service at
_Alicant_, the Earl forthwith lays a Design, and with his usual Success
intercepts 'em all, supplying that way his own Necessities at the
Expence of the Enemy.
The four thousand Men ready to reinforce the Troops nearer _Valencia_,
were the next Point to be undertaken; but _hic labor, hoc opus;_ since
the greater Body under the Conde _de las Torres_ (who, with _Mahoni_,
was now reinstated in his Post) lay between the Earl and those Troops
intended to be dispers'd. And what inhaunc'd the Difficulty, the River
_Xucar_ must be passed in almost the Face of the Enemy. Great
Disadvantages as these were, they did not discourage the Earl. He
detach'd by Night four hundred Horse and eight hundred Foot, who march'd
with such hasty Silence, that they surpriz'd that great Body, routed
'em, and brought into _Valencia_ six hundred Prisoners very safely,
notwithstanding they were oblig'd, under the same Night-Covert, to pass
very near a Body of three Thousand of the Enemy's Horse. Such a
prodigious Victory would hardly have gain'd Credit in that City, if the
Prisoners brought in had not been living Witnesses of the Action as well
as the Triumph. The Conde _de las Torres_, upon these two military
Rebuffs, drew off to a more convenient Distance, and left the Earl a
little more at ease in his new Quarters.
Here the Earl of _Peterborow_ made his Residence for some time. He was
extreamly well belov'd, his affable Behaviour exacted as much from all;
and he preserv'd such a good Correspondence with the Priests and the
Ladies, that he never fail'd of the most early and best Intelligence, a
thing by no means to be slighted in the common Course of Life; but much
more commendable and necessary in a General, with so small an Army, at
open War, and in the Heart of his Enemy's Country.
The Earl, by this Means, some small time after, receiving early
Intelligence that King _Philip_ was actually on his March to
_Barcelona_, with an Army of upwards of twenty five thousand Men, under
the Command of a Mareschal of _France_, began his March towards
_Catalonia_, with all the Troops that he could gather together, leaving
in _Valencia_ a small Body of Foot, such as in that Exigence could best
be spar'd. The whole Body thus collected made very little more than two
thousand Foot and six hundred Horse; yet resolutely with these he sets
out for _Barcelona_: In the Neighbourhood of which, as soon as he
arriv'd, he took care to post himself and his diminutive Army in the
Mountains which inviron that City; where he not only secur'd 'em against
the Enemy; but found himself in a Capacity of putting him under
perpetual Alarms. Nor was the Mareschal, with his great Army, capable of
returning the Earl's Compliment of Disturbance; since he himself, every
six or eight Hours, put his Troops into such a varying Situation, that
always when most arduously fought, he was farthest off from being found.
In this Manner the General bitterly harrass'd the Troops of the Enemy;
and by these Means struck a perpetual Terror into the Besiegers. Nor did
he only this way annoy the Enemy; the Precautions he had us'd, and the
Measures he had taken in other Places, with a View to prevent their
Return to _Madrid_, though the Invidious endeavour'd to bury them in
Oblivion, having equally contributed to the driving of the Mareschal of
_France_, and his Catholick King, out of the _Spanish_ Dominions.
But to go on with the Siege: The Breaches in the Walls of that City,
during its Siege by the Earl, had been put into tolerable Repair; but
those of _Monjouick_, on the contrary, had been as much neglected.
However, the Garrison made shift to hold out a Battery of twenty-three
Days, with no less than fifty Pieces of Cannon; when, after a Loss of
the Enemy of upwards of three thousand Men (a Moiety of the Army
employ'd against it when the Earl took it) they were forc'd to surrender
at Discretion. And this cannot but merit our Observation, that a Place,
which the _English_ General took in little more than an Hour, and with
inconsiderable Loss, afforded the Mareschal of _France_ a Resistance of
twenty-three Days.
Upon the taking of Fort _Monjouick_, the Mareschal _de Thess_ gave
immediate Orders for Batteries to be rais'd against the Town. Those
Orders were put in Execution with all Expedition; and at the same time
his Army fortify'd themselves with such Entrenchments, as would have
ruin'd the Earl's former little Army to have rais'd, or his present much
lesser Army to have attempted the forcing them. However, they
sufficiently demonstrated their Apprehensions of that watchful General,
who lay hovering over their Heads upon the Mountains. Their main Effort
was to make a Breach between Port St. _Antonio_ and that Breach which
our Forces had made the Year before; to effect which they took care to
ply them very diligently both from Cannon and Mortars; and in some few
Days their Application was answer'd with a practicable Breach for a
Storm. Which however was prudently deferr'd for some time, and that
thro' fear of the Earl's falling on the Back of them whenever they
should attempt it; which, consequently, they were sensible might put
them into some dangerous Disorder.
And now it was that the Earl of _Peterborow_ resolv'd to put in practice
the Resolution he had some time before concerted within himself. About
nine or ten Days before the Raising of the Siege, he had receiv'd an
Express from Brigadier _Stanhope_ (who was aboard Sir _John Leake's_
Fleet appointed for the Relief of the Place, with the Reinforcements
from _England_) acquainting the Earl, that he had us'd all possible
Endeavours to prevail on the Admiral to make the best of his way to
_Barcelona_. But that the Admiral, however, persisted in a positive
Resolution not to attempt the _French_ Fleet before that Place under the
Count _de Thoulouse_, till the Ships were join'd him which were expected
from _Ireland_, under the Command of Sir _George Bing_. True it was, the
Fleet under Admiral _Leake_ was of equal Strength with that under the
_French_ Admiral; but jealous of the Informations he had receiv'd, and
too ready to conclude that People in Distress were apt to make
Representations too much in their own Favour; he held himself, in point
of Discretion, oblig'd not to hazard the Queen's Ships, when a
Reinforcement of both cleaner and larger were under daily Expectation.
This unhappy Circumstance (notwithstanding all former glorious
Deliverances) had almost brought the Earl to the Brink of Despair; and
to increase it, the Earl every Day receiv'd such Commands from the King
within the Place, as must have sacrificed his few Forces, without the
least Probability of succeeding. Those all tended to his forcing his Way
into the Town; when, in all human Appearance, not one Man of all that
should make the Attempt could have done it, with any Hope or Prospect of
surviving. The _French_ were strongly encamp'd at the Foot of the
Mountains, distant two Miles from _Barcelona_; towards the Bottom of
those Hills, the Avenues into the Plain were possess'd and fortify'd by
great Detachments from the Enemy's Army. From all which it will be
evident, that no Attempt could be made without giving the Enemy time to
draw together what Body of Foot they pleas'd. Or supposing it feasible,
under all these difficult Circumstances, for some of them to have forc'd
their Passage, the Remainder, that should have been so lucky to have
escap'd their Foot, would have found themselves expos'd in open Field to
a Pursuit of four thousand Horse and Dragoons; and that for two Miles
together; when in case of their inclosing them, the bravest Troops in
the World, under such a Situation, would have found it their best way to
have surrender'd themselves Prisoners of War.
Nevertheless, when Brigadier _Stanhope_ sent that Express to the Earl,
which I just now mention'd, he assur'd him in the same, that he would
use his utmost Diligence, both by Sea and Land, to let him have timely
Notice of the Conjunction of the Fleets, which was now all they had to
depend upon. Adding withal, that if the Earl should at any time receive
a Letter, or Paper, though directed to no Body, and with nothing in it,
but a half Sheet of Paper cut in the Middle, he, the Earl, might
certainly depend upon it, that the two Fleets were join'd, and making
the best of their Way for _Barcelona_. It will easily be imagin'd the
Express was to be well paid; and being made sensible that he ran little
or no Hazard in carrying a Piece of blank Paper, he undertook it, and as
fortunately arriv'd with it to the Earl, at a Moment when Chagrin and
Despair might have hurry'd him to some Resolution that might have prov'd
fatal. The Messenger himself, however, knew nothing of the Joining of
the Fleets, or the Meaning of his Message.
As soon as the Earl of _Peterborow_ receiv'd this welcome Message from
Brigadier _Stanhope_, he march'd the very same Night, with his whole
little Body of Forces, to a Town on the Sea-Shore, call'd _Sigeth_. No
Person guess'd the Reason of his March, or knew any thing of what the
Intent of it was. The Officers, as formerly, obey'd without Enquiry; for
they were led to it by so many unaccountable Varieties of Success, that
Affiance became a second Nature, both in Officer and Soldier.
The Town of _Sigeth_ was about seven Leagues to the Westward of
_Barcelona_; where, as soon as the Earl with his Forces arriv'd, he took
care to secure all the small Fishing-Boats, _Feluccas_, and _Sattées_;
nay, in a Word, every Machine in which he could transport any of his
Men: So that in two Days' time he had got together a Number sufficient
for the Conveyance of all his Foot.
But a Day or two before the Arrival of the _English_ Fleet off _Sigeth_,
The Officers of his Troops were under a strange Consternation at a
Resolution their General had taken. Impatient of Delay, and fearful of
the Fleets passing by without his Knowledge, the Earl summon'd them
together a little before Night, at which time he discover'd to the whole
Assembly, that he himself was oblig'd to endeavour to get aboard the
_English_ Fleet; and that, if possible, before the _French_ Scouts
should be able to make any Discovery of their Strength: That finding
himself of no further Use on Shore, having already taken the necessary
Precautions for their Transportation and Security, they had nothing to
do but to pursue his Orders, and make the best of their Way to
_Barcelona_, in the Vessels which he had provided for them: That they
might do this in perfect Security when they saw the _English_ Fleet pass
by; or if they should pass by in the Night, an Engagement with the
_French_, which would give them sufficient Notice what they had to do
further.
This Declaration, instead of satisfying, made the Officers ten times
more curious: But when they saw their General going with a Resolution to
lie out all Night at Sea, in an open Boat, attended with only one
Officer; and understood that he intended to row out in his _Felucca_
five or six Leagues distance from the Shore, it is hardly to be
express'd what Amazement and Concern surpriz'd them all. Mr. _Crow_, the
Queen's Minister, and others, express'd a particular Dislike and
Uneasiness; but all to no purpose, the Earl had resolv'd upon it.
Accordingly, at Night he put out to Sea in his open _Felucca_, all which
he spent five Leagues from Shore, with no other Company than one Captain
and his Rowers.
In the Morning, to the great Satisfaction of all, Officers and others,
the Earl came again to Land; and immediately began to put his Men into
the several Vessels which lay ready in Port for that Purpose. But at
Night their Amaze was renew'd, when they found their General ready to
put in execution his old Resolution, in the same Equipage, and with the
same Attendance. Accordingly, he again _felucca'd_ himself; and they saw
him no more till they were landed on the Mole in _Barcelona_.
When the Earl of _Peterborow_ first engag'd himself in the Expedition to
_Spain_, he propos'd to the Queen and her Ministry, that Admiral
_Shovel_ might be join'd in Commission with him in the Command of the
Fleet. But this Year, when the Fleet came through the Straites, under
Vice-Admiral _Leake_, the Queen had sent a Commission to the Earl of
_Peterborow_ for the full Command, whenever he thought fit to come
aboard in Person. This it was that made the General endeavour, at all
Hazards, to get aboard the Fleet by Night; for he was apprehensive, and
the Sequel prov'd his Apprehensions too well grounded, that _Admiral
Leake_ would make his Appearance with the whole Body of the Fleet, which
made near twice the Number of the Ships of the Enemy; in which Case it
was natural to suppose, that the Count _de Tholouse_, as soon as ever
the _French_ Scouts should give Notice of our Strength, would cut his
Cables and put out to Sea, to avoid an Engagement. On the other hand,
the Earl was very sensible, that if a Part of his Ships had kept
a-stern, that the Superiority might have appear'd on the _French_ Side,
or rather if they had bore away in the Night towards the Coast of
_Africa_, and fallen to the Eastward of _Barcelona_ the next Day, a
Battle had been inevitable, and a Victory equally certain; since the
Enemy by this Means had been tempted into an Engagement, and their
Retreat being cut off, and their whole Fleet surrounded with almost
double their Number, there had hardly been left for any of them a
Probability of Escaping.