The confidential person whom I had placed on the River Douro has written
to me on the 18th inst. that he is assured that the enemy's troops
posted at the Escurial are moving in this direction.
He adds that if the person who gave him this intelligence should not
arrive the same day he would go himself to Villacastin, twelve leagues
from Madrid, to watch the two roads, the one of which leads to Zamora,
and the other to Segovia.
I hasten to give this information to your Excellency that you may judge
what measures are requisite to be taken.