sign upon Barcelona; and the rather, because, as the season was so far spent, it was thought altogether improper to engage the fleet in any new undertaking. However, all things were so well disguised by our seeming preparations for a retreat, that the very night our troops were in march towards the attack of Monjouick, there were public entertainments and rejoicings in the town for the raising of the siege.

The Prince of Hesse had taken large liberties in complaining against all the proceedings in the camp before Barcelona; even to insinuations, that though the Earl gave his opinion for some effort in public, yet used he not sufficient authority over the other general officers to incline them to comply; throwing out withal some hints, that the General, from the beginning, had declared himself in favour of other operations, and against coming to Catalonia; the latter part whereof was nothing but fact. On the other side, the Earl of Peterborow complained, that the boasted assistance

The Earl marches to

was no way made good; and that in failure thereof, his troops were to be sacrificed to the humours of a stranger; one who had no command, and whose conduct might bear a question whether equal to his courage. These reproaches of one another had bred so much ill blood between those two great men, that for above a fortnight they had no correspondence, nor ever exchanged one word.

The Earl, however, having made his proMonjouick. per dispositions, and delivered out his orders, began his march in the evening, with twelve hundred foot and two hundred horse, which, of necessity, were to pass by the quarters of the Prince of Hesse. That Prince, on their appearance, was told, that the General was come to speak with him; and, being brought into his apartment, the Earl acquainted him, that he had at last resolved

upon an attempt against the enemy; adding, that now, if he pleased, he might be a judge of their behaviour, and see whether his officers and soldiers had

deserved that character which he had so liberally given them. The Prince made answer, that he had always been ready to take his share; but could hardly believe, that troops marching that way could make any attempt against the enemy to satisfaction. However, without further discourse, he called for his horse.

By this we may see what share fortune has in the greatest events. In all probability the Earl of Peterborow had never engaged in such a dangerous affair, in cold blood, and unprovoked; and if such an enterprize had been resolved on in a regular way, it is very likely he might have given the command to some of the general officers; since it is not usual, nor hardly allowable, for one, that commands in chief, to go in person on such kind of services. But here we see the General and Prince, notwithstanding their late indifferent harmony, engaged together in this most desperate undertaking.

Brigadier Stanhope and Mr Methuen,

(now Sir Paul,) were the General's particular friends, and those he most consulted, and most confided in; yet he never imparted this resolution of his to either of them; for he was not willing to engage them in a design so dangerous, and where there was so little hope of success; rather choosing to reserve them as persons most capable of giving advice and assistance in the confusion, great enough already, which yet must have been greater, if any accident had happened to himself. And I have very good reason to believe, that the motive, which mainly engaged the Earl of Peterborow in this enterprize, was to satisfy the Prince of Hesse and the world, that his diffidence proceeded from his concern for the troops committed to his charge, and not for his own person. On the other hand, the great characters of the two gentlemen just mentioned are so well known, that it will easily gain credit, that the only way the General could take to prevent their being of the party, was to conceal it from them, as he

did from all mankind, even from the Archduke himself. And certainly there never was a more universal surprise, than when the firing was heard next morning from Monjouick.

But I now proceed to give an exact account of this great action; of which no person, that I have heard of, ever yet took upon him to deliver to posterity the glorious particulars; and yet the consequences and events, by what follows, will appear so great, and so very extraordinary, that few, if any, had they had it in their power, would have denied themselves the pleasure, or the world the satisfaction, of knowing it.

The troops, which marched all night along the foot of the mountains, arrived two hours before day under the hill of Monjouick, not a quarter of a mile from the outward works: For this reason, it was taken for granted, whatever the design was which the General had proposed to himself, that it would be put in execution be