lic good, but will be under an obligation and necessity to act with the utmost vigour against the enemy. I am, with an inviolable affection, respect, and most sincere acknowledgment,

Madam, my Sister,

Your most affectionate Brother,

CHARLES."

From the Camp at Senia, before Barcelona, the 22d of October, 1705.

And yet, after all, was this noble General not only recalled, the command of the fleet taken from him, and that of the army given to my Lord Galway, without assignment of cause; but all manner of falsities were industriously spread abroad, not only to diminish, if they could, his reputation, but to bring him under accusations of a malevolent nature. I can hardly imagine it necessary here to take notice, that afterward he disproved all those idle calumnies and ill-invented rumours; or to mention what compliments he received, in the most solemn manner, from his country, upon a full

examination and thorough canvassing of

his actions in the House of Lords.

But

this is too notorious to be omitted, that all officers coming from Spain were purposely intercepted in their way to London, and craftily examined upon all the idle stories which had passed, tending to lessen his character and when any officers had asserted the falsity of those inventions, (as they all did, except a military sweetner or two,) and that there was no possibility of laying any thing amiss to the charge of that General, they were told, that they ought to be careful, however, not to speak advantageously of that Lord's conduct, unless they were willing to fall martyrs in his cause; a thing scarce to be credited even in a popish country. But Scipio was accused, though (as my author finely observes) by wretches only known to posterity by that stupid accusation.

As a mournful valediction, before I enter upon any new scene, the reader will pardon this melancholy expostulation. How

mortifying must it be to an Englishman, after he has found himself solaced with a relation of so many surprising successes of her Majesty's arms, under the Earl of Peterborow; successes, that have laid before our eyes provinces and kingdoms reduced, and towns and fortresses taken and relieved; where we have seen a continued series of happy events, the fruits of conduct and vigilance; and caution and foresight preventing dangers that were held, at first view, certain and unsurmountable: to change this glorious landscape, I say, for scenes every way different, even while our troops were as numerous as the enemy, and better provided, yet always baffled and beaten, and flying before the enemy, till fatally ruined in the battle of Almanza: how mortifying must this be to any lover of his country! But I proceed to my Memoirs.

Alicant is a town of the greatest trade of any in the kingdom of Valencia, having a strong castle, being situated on a high hill, which commands both town and harbour.

In this place I resided a whole year; but it was soon after my first arrival, that Major Collier (who was shot in the back at Barcelona, as I have related in the siege of that place) hearing of me, sought me out at my quarters; and, after a particular enquiry into the success of that difficult task that he left me upon, and my answering all his questions to satisfaction, (all which he received with evident pleasure,) he threw down a purse of pistoles upon the table; which I refusing, he told me, in a most handsome manner, his friendship was not to be preserved but by my accepting it.

After I had made some very necessary repairs, I pursued the orders I had received from the Earl of Peterborow, to go upon the erecting a new battery between the castle and the town. This was a task attended with difficulties, neither few in number, nor small in consequence; for it was to be raised upon a great declivity, which must render the work both laborious and precarious. However, I had the good for

tune to effect it much sooner than was expected; and it was called Gorge's battery, from the name of the governor then commanding; who, out of an uncommon profusion of generosity, wetted that piece of gossiping with a distinguishing bowl of punch. Brigadier Bougard, when he saw this work some time after, was pleased to honour it with a singular admiration and approbation, for its completeness, notwithstanding its difficulties.

This work, and the siege of Carthagena, then in our possession, by the Duke of Berwick, brought the Lord Galway down to this place. Carthagena is of so little distance from Alicant, that we could easily hear the cannon playing against, and from it, in our castle, where I then was. And I remember my Lord Galway, on the fourth day of the siege, sending to know if I could make any useful observations as to the success of it; I returned, that I was of opinion the town was surrendered, from the sudden cessation of the cannon, which, by our news