troops, that had so lately left the place, had left behind them more terror than men; which, together with the peremptory demand of the Earl, soon produced some priests to wait upon the General. By their readiness to obey, the Earl very justly imagined fear to be the motive; wherefore, to improve their terror, he only allowed them six minutes time to resolve upon a surrender, telling them, that otherwise, so soon as his artillery was come up, he would lay them under the utmost extremities. The priests returned with this melancholy message into the place; and in a very short time after the gates were thrown open. Upon the Earl of the Earl's entrance, he found two hundred horse, which were the original of his lordship's forming that body of horse, which afterwards proved the saving of Valencia.

Nules sur

rendered to

Peterbo

row.

The news of the taking of Nules soon overtook the flying enemy; and so increased the apprehensions of their danger, that they renewed their march the same day; though what they had taken before would

have satisfied them much better without it. On the other hand, the Earl was so well pleased 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 furnished 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 surprised at their being well mounted, and furnished with all accoutrements necessary. After which, leaving them cantoned in walled towns, where they could not be disturbed 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

described.

advanced a day's march at least into that country. Upon which, collecting, as fast as he could, the whole corps together, the Earl resolved 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 Molviedro Valencia, had taken care to secure. Molviedro, though not very strong, is a walled town, very populous of itself; 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 show the ruins of the once Saguntum. famous Saguntum; famous sure to eternity, if letters shall last so long, for an inviolable fid elity to a negligent confederate, ngainst an implacable enemy. Here yet appear

the visible vestigia of awful antiquity, in half standing arches, and the yet unlevelled walls and towers of that once celebrated city. I could not but look upon all these with the eyes of despite, 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 reproached with a breach of faith, or the brand of cowardicę, 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, induced 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 des

pondencies, gave them hope, that what strength served 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 stationed 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 offered 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 catholic; but all to little purpose; Mahoni was inflexible, which obliged the Earl to new mea

sures.

Whereupon the Earl frankly told him,