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<DATE>2014-10-13</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
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<PB N="1" REF="1">
<HEAD>Remarks upon the <HI>London Gazette,</HI> relating to the <HI>Streights-</HI> Fleet and the Battle of <HI>Landen</HI> in <HI>Flanders.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THE Penner of this Intelligence has for &s;ome time written with &s;uch an unu&s;ual range of Fancy, as if his De&s;ign was rather to Entertain and Amu&s;e, than inform his Reader. To do him Ju&s;tice, he &s;eems to be not only a Ma|&s;ter of Style, but of the Matter he treats about; for he makes no difficulty to con|ceal, di&s;place and perplex Things at Di&s;|cretion. So that an ordinary Ob&s;erver mu&s;t be oftentimes at a lo&s;s to know how the World goes. His peculiar Talent is to le&s;&s;en a Di&s;advantage, and make it in|vi&s;ible. It may be he appears with this Sanguine Air, becau&s;e he is unwilling to put us to pain with unacceptable Truths. But how much &s;oever he may be commen|ded for his Temper, it would in all likely|hood be better for us if we were plainly dealt with. To skin over a wound before it has been &s;ufficiently probed and laid open, is the way to mortifie the Part, and often Kills in&s;tead of Curing. When a Man's Fortune is &s;inking, he &s;hould be made &s;en&s;ible of his Condition; that if he di&s;pairs of &s;topping the Leak, he may quit the Bottom. The <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> and Con|federates have lately received two Blows at Sea and in <HI>Flanders;</HI> which 'tis fear'd will take &s;ome time to Recover. The&s;e the <HI>Gazetteer</HI> runs over &s;o lightly, and de&s;cribes with &s;uch a hand&s;ome neglect, as if the Lo&s;s, if any, was incon&s;iderable.</P>
<P>That he does not deal clearly with us in this Ca&s;e, I &s;hall endeavour to &s;hew, by bringing the forementioned Accidents un|der a &s;hort Review. And he<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e it may not be improper to acquaint the Reader that I intend to keep within the Verge of the Confederacy, and to bring no evidence again&s;t the <HI>Gazetteer,</HI> but what is either drawn from him&s;elf, or from &s;ome other Authority which he is equally obliged to acknowledge. And if I mention any <HI>French</HI> Proof, it &s;hall be when it agrees with his own.</P>
<P>I &s;hall begin with the Lo&s;s of the <HI>Streights</HI>-Fleet; and here I &s;hall,</P>
<P N="1">1&s;t. Very briefly &s;hew the <HI>Gazetteer</HI>'s Account of this Accident to be perplexed and di&s;agreeing with it &s;elf.</P>
<P N="2">2dly. That 'tis imperfect, and far &s;hort of Matter of Fact.</P>
<P N="1">1. His Account is dark and incon&s;i&s;tent. His Bu&s;ine&s;s here is to let us know the For|tune of the <HI>Engli&s;h.</HI> Now had he been di&s;po&s;ed to inform us of what had pa&s;&s;ed, he would (after the Li&s;t of tho&s;e which e&s;caped with the Admiral) have imme|diately mentioned the others which gain|ed the Ports of <HI>Spain,</HI> and di&s;tingui&s;hed the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> from the re&s;t. This Account had been ea&s;ie and intelligible. But his de&s;ign it &s;eems was not to be under&s;tood. To this purpo&s;e he gives you the number of tho&s;e with Admiral <HI>Rooke.</HI> Then tells you how many were mi&s;&s;ing; and at la&s;t &s;ets down tho&s;e which were got into <HI>Cadiz</HI> and <HI>St. Lucar,</HI> and intermixeth them with <HI>Dutch. Danes, &amp;c.</HI> and with part of his latter Li&s;t. And by this confu&s;ed Rela|tion, he has conveyed him&s;elf out of &s;ight. But upon Inquiry I believe it will appear, he has lo&s;t him&s;elf as well as his Reader.</P>
<P>Let us compare his Li&s;ts from <HI>Gazette July</HI> 17th.</P>
<P>His fir&s;t Li&s;t contains tho&s;e <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Mer|chants Ships which were with Admiral <HI>Rook.</HI> The number of the&s;e is &s;ixteen, be|ginning with the <HI>George,</HI> and ending with the <HI>Fidelity.</HI> His &s;econd Li&s;t con&s;i&s;ts of tho&s;e <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Merchant-Men which were mi&s;&s;ing; this begins with the <HI>Shandois</HI> and end<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> with the <HI>Mary Flower,</HI> and in all makes twenty four Ships.</P>
<P>His third Account is of tho&s;e Ships which e&s;caped into <HI>Cadiz</HI> and <HI>St. Lucar,</HI> which though it does not reach the number of what was mi&s;&s;ing; yet it brings in nine <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> &s;even in <HI>Cadiz</HI> and two in <HI>St. Lu|car,</HI> which were unmentioned in his former Li&s;ts. Their names are,</P>
<P>The <HI>Johanna</HI> and <HI>Anne,</HI> the <HI>Succe&s;s</HI> com|manded by <HI>I&s;aac Stoneham,</HI> and therefore dif|rent from the <HI>Succe&s;s</HI> in the mi&s;&s;ing Li&s;t. who&s;e <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> was <HI>David Bi&s;hop.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>Sarah</HI> and <HI>Eliz.</HI> the <HI>Sarah, Mar|maduke Raydon;</HI> the <HI>Sarah</HI> commanded by <HI>Law&s;on;</HI> the <HI>John</HI> commanded by <HI>Ware;</HI> the <HI>Tetuan Merchant;</HI> Captain <HI>Cooper</HI> his Ship not named; the <HI>Malaga Factor,</HI> Cap. <HI>Newland;</HI> and therefore different from
<PB N="2" REF="2">that Ship of the &s;ame Name in his &s;econd Li&s;t, which was commanded by <HI>Rich. Love.</HI> Now where a Man pretends to be particu|lar in naming the Ships which were &s;afe, and tho&s;e which are mi&s;&s;ing. One would think the joyning the&s;e two numbers &s;hould comprehend the whole Fleet: But be&s;ides that he is far &s;hort in the &s;umm Total, as will appear by and by. There is an unu&s;ual Accident happened to the Computation; for he has brought in nine Merchant-men, &s;even to <HI>Cadiz</HI> and two to <HI>St. Lucar,</HI> which were unmentioned in the former Li&s;ts. So that by his account we have nine Sail which were neither &s;afe nor mi&s;&s;ing, neither in the Enemies Hands nor in their own, which I confe&s;s is &s;omething extraordinary.</P>
<P>I am now in the</P>
<P>Second Place to prove his Account far &s;hort of matter of Fact.</P>
<P>We mu&s;t go back to his former Li&s;ts. The number with Admiral <HI>Rooke</HI> is &s;ix|teen, the Li&s;t of tho&s;e mi&s;&s;ing is twenty four; &s;o that it &s;eems the whole Fleet of <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Merchant Men bound (as him&s;elf tells us <HI>Gaz. July</HI> 17.) to <HI>Smirna, Scan|deroon, Me&s;&s;ina, Galipoli, Alicant, Cadiz, St. Lucar, Venice, Tunis, Malaga</HI> and <HI>Le|gorne,</HI> con&s;i&s;ted but of Forty Sail. But this is a great mi&s;take; for 'tis granted by all the Merchants of <HI>London</HI> (and by many of them too much felt) that the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> when they fell in with the <HI>French</HI> at <HI>Lagos Bay,</HI> were about Eighty Sail Merchant-Men.</P>
<P>This number the <HI>Gazetteer</HI> ventures to abrigde into Forty, to conceal the Lo&s;s of the re&s;t. And here we may ob&s;erve that the Fleet bound to <HI>Smirna</HI> con&s;i&s;ted of eight <HI>Dutch</HI> and eleven <HI>Engli&s;h;</HI> the <HI>Dutch</HI> were all taken and de&s;troyed at <HI>L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">gos;</HI> and two of the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> were then de&s;troy|ed, and four &s;ince at <HI>Gibraltar,</HI> making a|bove two thirds of the value of the eleven. The <HI>Su&s;&s;ex</HI> worth above 50000 <HI>l.</HI> was like|wi&s;e burnt at <HI>Lagos.</HI> The Gazetteer owns the Misfortune at <HI>Gibraltar</HI> (and that at <HI>Malaga</HI>) but as for the re&s;t he knows not of one <HI>Engli&s;h</HI>-man taken except the <HI>Friend|&s;hip,</HI> a &s;mall Ve&s;&s;el of about 70 Tuns. (<HI>Gaz. July</HI> 17.) This Relation he afterwards re|peats with more a&s;&s;urance. <HI>Of the</HI> Engli&s;h (&s;ays he) <HI>there is not one Ship taken, ei|ther Man of War or Merchant-man, except a &s;mall V<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;el called the</HI> Friend&s;hip. (<HI>Gaz. Aug.</HI> 3.) Now by this Account one would imagin all was well, but if we ob&s;erve him a little clo&s;er, we &s;hall find he is not &s;o hardy as to affirm that none of the <HI>Eng|li&s;h</HI> were burnt or &s;unk at <HI>Lagos Bay.</HI> This he dur&s;t not &s;ay. Now if they are de&s;troy|ed this way, they are as much lo&s;t as if they were taken, though not with the &s;ame Advantage to the Enemy: But the Gazetteer hoped to conceal the matter by &s;aying they were not taken. And &s;ince the Confederacy is deeply concerned in this Misfortune, I &s;hall ju&s;t mention the whole from the <HI>Dutch</HI> Prints. The <HI>Recueil Aug.</HI> 6th. informs us that the <HI>French</HI> took two <HI>Dutch</HI> Men of War, one of 66, the other of 68 Guns, and burnt a rich Pinnace and an <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Man of War of 56 Guns. Be|&s;ides the&s;e the <HI>French</HI> took 25 Merchant-Men, and burnt 45, which in all make 74. All this was done at the Bay of <HI>Lagos.</HI> The &s;ame Intelligence (<HI>Recueil Aug.</HI> 13.) continues the Narration of this Misfor|tune, and &s;ays, That the <HI>Sieur Coetlogon</HI> burnt 4 <HI>Engli&s;h Smirna</HI> Ships and 1 <HI>Dutch</HI> Man at <HI>Gibraltar,</HI> and took 7; that Count <HI>d' E&s;tree</HI> took 4 and burnt &s;ome; &s;o that here are 16 more lo&s;t, which added to the former number of 74 makes 90, be&s;ides tho&s;e burnt by Count <HI>d' E&s;tree.</HI> And if the Ships de&s;troyed at <HI>Malaga</HI> are not in|cluded, the Misfortune ri&s;es &s;till higher.</P>
<P>Having &s;hewn what an untoward Ac|count the Gazetteer has given of the <HI>Streights</HI> Fleet, I &s;hall now proceed to the late great Battel in <HI>Flanders.</HI> Here if we enquire of the <HI>Gazette July</HI> 27. we &s;hall find that the <HI>Enemy was beaten back in all their Attempts;</HI> And the advantage on the Confederate Side, <HI>till four in the Afternoon.</HI></P>
<P>This account is contradicted by a Paper Publi&s;h'd by Authority, and called, a <HI>Re|lation of the Bat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">le at Landen.</HI></P>
<P>For here we are told, that though the Enemy had been beaten at the Left; <Q>They had neverthele&s;s kept a part of the Village of <HI>Winden,</HI> and made them&s;elves Ma&s;ters of the Hedges on the Ri&s;ing-Ground, which laid the Flank of our Re|trenchment open to them, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></Q> Now, this is a flat contradiction to the <HI>Gazette.</HI> For if the <HI>French</HI> kept part of the Village of <HI>Winden,</HI> and continued Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed of a con&s;iderable Po&s;t, through which they broke into the Con&s;ederate Army, and
<PB N="3" REF="2"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">orced them to quit their Camp, as this <HI>Re|lation</HI> affirms; then 'tis plain they were not Beaten back in all their Attempts as the <HI>Gazette</HI> pretends. So that we have two Relations, both Publi&s;hed by Order of the Court, directly cla&s;hing in their Narrative: Now he that can &s;wallow con|tradictions, and believe an Evidence who convicts him&s;elf, may be a good Natured Man, but I'm &s;ure can be no Wi&s;e one.</P>
<P>Farther, <HI>Gazette Aug.</HI> 3d. Tells us that when the Left-wing went off which &s;tood after the Right was Routed; This Left, &s;ays the <HI>Gazette, Retreated towards</HI> Lewe, <HI>without being Attacked by the</HI> French; <HI>who had already &s;uffered &s;o much that they were willing to part with us.</HI> This &s;tory is not only Incredible in it &s;elf, but plainly con|tradicted by the <HI>Relation</HI> of the <HI>Battle,</HI> &amp;c. which was Printed but a day or two bofore this <HI>Gazette,</HI> and about a Week after the fir&s;t News of the Battle; &s;o that there was time enough for a full information? This Print makes no &s;cruple to &s;ay, that <Q>when the Left-wing were Order'd to re|tire to <HI>Lewe,</HI> The Enemy, who&s;e Hor&s;e were drawn up in two Lines upon the Ri|&s;ing-Ground, adventur'd to Attack them in their Retreat.</Q> Now what is to be done in this ca&s;e; Here are two <HI>White-Hall</HI> Pa|pers both of them Po&s;itive and Perempto|ry in their Stories, and yet fall foul upon each other. The <HI>Relation,</HI> &amp;c. Frankly owns that the Confederates were Attacked in their Retreat: The Gazetteer (I &s;up|po&s;e) finding this <HI>Relation</HI> grated a little upon the Peoples Stomachs; tells us very roundly, that the <HI>French</HI> were willing to part with the Confederates, and let them retire without di&s;turbance. Thus to plea&s;e the People, the Gazetteer ventures upon a very de&s;perate Expedient. For by con|tradicting a Paper which &s;tands upon the &s;ame Authority with his own, he &s;inks the Credit of the Court, and brings a &s;u&s;picion upon what he Writes him&s;elf. Well! When two Witne&s;&s;es di&s;agree in their E|vidence, we are &s;ure one of them mu&s;t be in the wrong; and that the Gazetteer is out, will plainly appear, if we confider that when the &s;ame Party gives a diffe|rent Account of any Di&s;advantage, we may be a&s;&s;ured that Relation which makes the Misfortune greate&s;t has mo&s;t of Truth in it. For as a Man who trades upon Re|putation, will not Magnifie his Le&s;&s;es be|yond Reality for fear of being blown up. So a State Faction which is &s;unk in its pro|per Strength, and lives only upon Art, will be &s;ure not to make things wor&s;e then they are. So that if at any time their Me|mories happen to fail them, or they pre|&s;ume upon the ea&s;ine&s;s of the Reader, or the greatne&s;s of a Misfortune makes them drop a Secret, and di&s;orders them into cont: adictions; we are then to believe that Part of the Account which is lea&s;t favour|able to the Reporters, for no Man in his Wits will tell an untruth to his di&s;advan|tage. To apply this Remark, we may conclude the Gazetteer a Mi&s;-repre&s;en|ter; and that the Confederates were per|&s;ued, as the <HI>R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lation</HI> of the <HI>Battle,</HI> &amp;c. af|firms. And that the <HI>Relat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r</HI> gives us the Truth, though not the whole Truth, will appear farther, if we ob&s;erve,</P>
<P N="2">2. The condition of both Armies, when the Confederates were &s;aid to be per&s;ued. How things went, I &s;hall de&s;cribe from the <HI>London Gazette</HI> and <HI>Relation</HI> of, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> above mentioned, which may be both drawn up by the &s;ame hand for ought I know. 'Tis certain they both come from <HI>White-Hall,</HI> and pa&s;s the Nation for In|telligence of equal Authority. The <HI>Ga|zette</HI> tells us in the&s;e Words: <Q>That the <HI>French</HI> broke into us (<HI>i. e.</HI> our Camp) at the Head of our Retrenchment, which our Men were no longer able to maintain: That the Enemies Numbers prevailed. &mdash; That upon this occa&s;ion we were forced to remove and change the Form of our Lines of Hor&s;e, who were thereby put into di&s;order. The <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Hor&s;e and Guards were &s;ent for from the Le<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t, but before they came up, the Enemy had poured in &s;o many Squadrons, that they had neither Time nor Ground to put them&s;elves into regular Lines. At length when it was found impo&s;&s;ible to remedy this di&s;order, and the Enemy advancing with fre&s;h Forces; The Foot of our Left, as al&s;o the Dragoons, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> were ordered to Retire towards <HI>Lewe:</HI> The re&s;t of the Army Retreated towards <HI>Tirlemont.</HI></Q> Thus far the <HI>Gazette,</HI> the <HI>Relation,</HI> &amp;c. gives much the &s;ame Account, only &s;ome|what plainer. Particularly, It tells us, that the <HI>French Cav<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lry forced the</HI> Hanover, <HI>Brandenburgh</HI> and <HI>Spani&s;h Troops to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">etire;</HI>
<PB N="4" REF="3">that is they Beat them. That <HI>to remedy this Di&s;order, part of the Left-wing was Or|dered to Advance, but befoye they could Form them&s;elves, the</HI> Dutch <HI>Hor&s;e Retired, and the Right-wing were forced to pa&s;s the River, and the</HI> Engli&s;h <HI>were quite Encompa&s;&s;ed.</HI> And then it follows, <HI>That the Left-wing were Order'd to Retire to</HI> Lewe, <HI>and that the Gene|ral him&s;elf pa&s;&s;ed the Bridge at</HI> Neer-He&s;pen <HI>with great difficulty.</HI></P>
<P>And when Matters were come to this pa&s;s, when the <HI>French</HI> had Fought up to the Mouth of the Confederate Cannon, forced their Retrenchments, and broke in|to a Fortified Camp: When they were Su|perior in Number, Order and Succe&s;s, and had Surmounted all the difficulties of the Enterprize: When the <HI>Hanover, Bran|denbourgh, Spani&s;h</HI> and <HI>Dutch</HI> Troops were Beaten; when the la&s;t re&s;erve of <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> had neither Time nor Ground to draw up in, but were encompa&s;&s;ed by the Enemy: In fine, when all the Nations were Broken and Routed, the Right-wing forced to fly through a River, and the Left Ordered to &s;hift for them&s;elves: When affairs were in this Po&s;ture, does any Per&s;on of com|mon &s;en&s;e imagine the <HI>French</HI> would not pu&s;h the Advantage and per&s;ue the Con|federates. Were they too Generous to &s;et upon an Enemy, who was in no condi|tion to Re&s;i&s;t? Had they no inclination to Revenge the lo&s;s of their Friends? Were they afraid of making the Victory too Ab&s;olute? And of over-loading them|&s;elves with Glory and Spoil? Few Men one would think, would impo&s;e &s;uch &s;tuff as this upon the Belief of the Nation. 'Tis true the <HI>Gazette</HI> was hard &s;et, for all the Publick Accounts having own'd that the <HI>French</HI> forced the Camp at four in the Af|ternoon, and that the Confederates were Broken and Ruined from that time. The Gazetter was aware, that allowing a Con|quering Army four Hours of day to Tram|ple and Slaughter in; mu&s;t needs give the People a horrid notion of the De&s;eat. And therefore to prevent the Impre&s;&s;ions of Truth, he denies what had been Publicly own'd before, contradicts the Paper Pub|li&s;hed by Authority, and that with &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ch wretched incredible Rea&s;ons, as can't be put upon Men without the greate&s;t affront to their under&s;tandings.</P>
<P>I &s;hall go on with the <HI>Gazette</HI> to com|pute the Lo&s;s of the Battle, which may be reduced to two Heads, the Men and the Baggage and Cannon.</P>
<P N="1">1. With re&s;pect to the Men.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t <HI>Gazette</HI> of <HI>July</HI> 27th. &s;ays, 'tis certain, <HI>They have lost double the Number of Men we have.</HI> The <HI>Gazette</HI> of <HI>Aug.</HI> 3d. is &s;till more hardy, and tells us that 'tis certain, <HI>That our Lo&s;s is not not &s;o great as that at</HI> Steenkerk; <HI>and that the</HI> French <HI>according to their own Account had lo&s;t more than double the Number.</HI> One would think by this Re|lation the <HI>French</HI> had Printed an Account of their Lo&s;s; but upon Enquiry we &s;hall find no &s;uch Matter: For this very <HI>Gazette</HI> has the ill luck to tells us in the <HI>Paris</HI> Ar|ticle of <HI>Aug.</HI> 2d. that the <HI>Li&s;t of the Kil|led and Wounded is not yet made Public.</HI></P>
<P>What does the Gazetteer mean then by <HI>their own Account?</HI> Why, he will inform you in another part of his Works.</P>
<P>The <HI>Gazett, July</HI> 31&s;t. is clear in the Point. For there a namele&s;s Captain who came Expre&s;s about his own bu&s;ine&s;s, who neither &s;aw the Fight him&s;elf, nor pre|tends to be informed by any who did. There this Gent. affirms that the <HI>Relation that was Printed at</HI> Li<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">le (<HI>in</HI> Handers) <HI>the Sunday after the Fight, owns they have lo&s;t</HI> 16000 <HI>Men.</HI></P>
<P>Very well! I'm afraid this Relation will mi&s;carry for want of a little Geography: For the Battle being fought upon the 29th. of <HI>July, N. S.</HI> the Sunday after falls upon the 2d. of <HI>Aug.</HI> At which very day the <HI>London</HI> Gazetteer has the Misfortune to tell us, that <HI>Then there was no Li&s;t of the Killed or Wounded, Publi&s;hed at Paris.</HI></P>
<P>And can we imagin there &s;hould be a Li&s;t Printed at <HI>Li<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">e</HI> when there was none at <HI>Paris.</HI> Dur&s;t any Subject in <HI>Fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nders</HI> Publi&s;h an Account of &s;o great a Battle, without Authority and In&s;tructions from the Court of <HI>France?</HI> Does any Govern|ment, much le&s;s the <HI>French</HI> allow &s;o wild a Liberty as this? And as for the <HI>French</HI> King<HI>'s</HI> leave, it could not be &s;ent at the time the Capt. pretends. For the <HI>London Gazette Aug.</HI> 31. &s;ays, that M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. <HI>D' Artagnan</HI> Arrived at <HI>Paris</HI> upon the 31. at night <HI>N. S.</HI> with the News of the Battle. By this Ac|count the Journey from the Camp to <HI>Pa|ris,</HI> which we may imagine, was made with &s;peed, co&s;t the Expre&s;s 2 Nights and 2 Days, <HI>i. e.</HI> from <HI>Wedne&s;day</HI> at Night till
<PB N="5" REF="3"><HI>Fryday</HI> at Night, for that was the 31. Now if the Court had been at <HI>Paris,</HI> and a di&s;|patch immediately &s;ent to the Governor of <HI>Lille</HI> to Publi&s;h the News; there would remain but 1 Day and 2 Summers Nights to perform the Journey and Print the Nar|rative; for from <HI>Friday</HI> at Night to <HI>Sunday</HI> is no longer, which makes the &s;tory impo&s;|&s;ible. Thus far the <HI>London Gazette,</HI> but by that of <HI>Paris, Aug.</HI> 8. We are a&s;&s;ured that Mr. <HI>D' Artagnan</HI> did not Arrive at the <HI>French</HI> Court, which was then at <HI>Marli</HI> till <HI>Aug.</HI> 1. which if there is any degrees in impo&s;&s;ibilities, makes the Relation &s;till more incomprehen&s;ible. Be&s;ides, to what purpo&s;e was this Romantic ha&s;te? To none that I know of, except to oblige the <HI>Lille Men</HI> with a favour which it &s;eems the <HI>Pari&s;ians</HI> were not vouch&s;afed, and to fur|ni&s;h out the Gazetteers Capt. for his Voy|age to <HI>England.</HI> To proceed, the <HI>Gazette July</HI> 31. &s;ays, <HI>We are a&s;&s;ured that our Lo&s;s does not exceed</HI> 9 <HI>or</HI> 10000 <HI>Men, including the Pri&s;oners and Wounded.</HI> The <HI>Relation</HI> of the <HI>Battle,</HI> &amp;c. which came out a day or two after &s;eem; to have none of the <HI>Gazettes</HI> A&s;&s;urance, but tells us, <HI>That our Forces be|ing not yet all of them come together, we can't give a certain Account what Lo&s;s we have had.</HI> The <HI>Gazette Aug.</HI> 3. &s;ays the &s;ame thing, adding withal, this Remarkable Pa&s;&s;age; <HI>That 'tis certain our Lo&s;s is not &s;o great as that at</HI> Steenkerk; which according to the la&s;t Years <HI>Gazettes,</HI> did not amount to 3000 Men. <HI>Gazette Aug.</HI> 4. 1692. This is &s;till more My&s;tical, therefore we mu&s;t try if we can inform our &s;elves other ways. Now, in order to the &s;atisfying this Que&s;tion. We mu&s;t,</P>
<P N="1">1. Know how &s;trong the Confederates were before the Battle: How far they are, or expect to be Reinforced, and to what Number the Army will amount after the Reinforcement. The&s;e 3 things will give us a true State of the Lo&s;s. Now the <HI>Ga|zette Aug.</HI> 3. confe&s;&s;es, the Army when they fought, to be about 45000; which Expre&s;&s;ion ought rather to be interpreted above the Letter then otherwi&s;e; it being the intere&s;t of the Gazetteer after a De|feat, to dimini&s;h the Confederate Forces. However we will be fo fair as to take him at his acknowledged Number of 45000.</P>
<P>The 2d. thing to be enquired, is the Number of the Recruits, which we may learn from the <HI>Gazette</HI> of <HI>July</HI> 27. in the&s;e words, <HI>Our Army will be &s;peedily Reinforced with</HI> 25 <HI>Battalions, and</HI> 40 <HI>Squadrons, are with the Duke of</HI> Wittenbergh; <HI>be, which there are</HI> 30 <HI>Battalions at</HI> Leige. The Gazetteer mu&s;t mean that the Battalions at <HI>Leige</HI> were to make part of the Rein|forcement, otherwi&s;e to which purpo&s;e were they mentioned? If this were not his mean|ing, he might as well have &s;aid,
<Q>be&s;ides, the Reinforcements, which we expect from the D. of <HI>Wittenbergh;</HI> there are 30 <HI>Dutch</HI> Battalions in New <HI>Battavia</HI> in the <HI>Ea&s;t-Indies;</HI> which though true, would be hor|ribly impertinent.</Q> We may ob&s;erve far|ther, that the&s;e Forces the <HI>Gazette</HI> menti|ons at <HI>Leige,</HI> were not long &s;ince Detached thither; Ten Battalions being &s;ent but 8 days before the Fight. (<HI>Relation</HI> of the <HI>Bat|tle,</HI> &amp;c.) 'Tis no wonder therefore, if they &s;hould be drawn back after &s;o great an Ac|cident. And if this point were not &s;uffici|ently proved, Mr. <HI>Dyckvelt</HI>'s Letter to the States General would put it beyond Di&s;|pute. This Gent. who had a Public Cha|racted in the <HI>Dutch</HI> Army, gives his Ma|&s;ters a &s;hort Account of the Action in a Let|ter of <HI>July</HI> 30, which is in&s;erted in the <HI>Slip</HI> of <HI>Aug</HI> 4. At the end of the Letter we have the&s;e words. <HI>Our Army will be very Numerous in a &s;hort time; for be&s;ides</HI> 25 <HI>Ba|talions and</HI> 40 <HI>Squadrons, with which the D. of</HI> Wittenberg <HI>Forced the Lines, there are morecover</HI> 30 <HI>Battalions at</HI> Leige.</P>
<P>Taking therefore the&s;e <HI>Leige</HI>-Battali|ons into the Reinforcement, as we Evident|ly mu&s;t; let us &s;ee what it will amount to. There are 25 and 30 Battalions, which make 55. Now reckoning 500 to a Bat|talion which is no extraordinary computa|tion, and the Number will be 27500 Men. Add to the&s;e the 40 Squadrons of Hor&s;e at 150 in a Squa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dren, and the Caval<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y makes 6000; which added to the former mounts the Reinforcement to 33500. If you plea&s;e we will cut off 6500 of this Num|ber, and State the Recruits but at 27000, and then the Reckoning will be made upon a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ow Foot. Having done this, let us &s;ee how Numerous the Confederates will be after the Reinforcement. For &s;atisfaction in this Enquiry, I &s;hall as formerly apply to the <HI>London Gazette.</HI> That of <HI>Aug.</HI> 3: Affirms th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t the Confederates after the D. of <HI>Wi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">terberg,</HI> &amp;c. has joyned them, will have an Army of 50000 Men. Let us
<PB N="6" REF="4">ca&s;t up the whole, The Confederates were 45000 before the Fight: They have, and expect a Reinforcement of 27000, which added to the other, makes 72000. After which Reinforcement, they pretend no higher then 50000 Men. Now if we &s;ub&s;tract 50 out of 72 there remains 22, which Num|ber contains the Lo&s;s of the Confederates. So that even by the Gazetteers Reckoning the Battle has co&s;t the Confederates 22000 Men. This Account agrees with &s;everal Letters of good Intelligence from <HI>Flan|ders,</HI> and with the <HI>Paris Gazette</HI> which mentions the Killed and Wounded to amount to above 20000. To this the <HI>Recuil</HI> a <HI>Dutch</HI> Print. <HI>Aug.</HI> 13. adds 1500 Pri&s;oners, of which 200 are Officers of note.</P>
<P>I mention the <HI>Paris Gazette,</HI> becau&s;e it concurs with our Gazetteer. Be&s;ides, this <HI>Gazette</HI> is a Paper of Reputation, &amp; is more relied on, even in the Confederacy it&s;elf than that of <HI>London.</HI> To give one in&s;tance, We may remember the la&s;t Summer, that the <HI>Paris Gazette</HI> gave us as fair an Ac|count of their Lo&s;s at Sea, as we received at Home from Admiral <HI>Ru&s;&s;el</HI>'s Journal; as may be &s;een by comparing the two Papers. Now tho&s;e who give a ju&s;t Relation of their Misfortunes, can't in rea&s;on be &s;u&s;pected of Art when they Report any remarkable Suc|ce&s;s. In &s;uch ca&s;es there is &s;carce any temp|tation to &s;train Truth, for the naked repre|&s;entation of Fact is a &s;ufficient Advantage. Indeed great Kings &s;corn to Emba&s;e their public Intelligence with &s;uch uncreditable Alloy. For in &s;oft Language, to deceive and mi&s;-repre&s;ent, to Maim and Murther Truth, are mean and inglorious Practices. I wonder any thing that pretends to be a Government, can &s;toop &s;o low. But we gain'd &s;o much by Romancing in 88, that I'm afraid we &s;hall never leave it. Then the <HI>French</HI> League and the <HI>Impo&s;tor</HI>-Prince, &amp; the handful of <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> who after they were routed and disbanded, were to Ma&s;&s;acre the whole Nation, <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> and <HI>Dutch</HI> Armies, and all: The&s;e a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d a great many other Bull-beggers worked beyond expectation in that <HI>Annus Mirabilis.</HI> But if they think to keep the People under the &s;ame Va&s;&s;a|lage of belief, and always ready to &s;wallow the &s;ame ab&s;urdities, I hope they may be mi&s;taken. To return to our Gazetteer, &s;ome of who&s;e &s;cattered Sentences being tacked together, we &s;ee make it evident, that the Confederates have Lo&s;t above 20000 Men. However, the Gazetteer gives us to under&s;tand, that 'tis <HI>certain our Lo&s;s is not &s;o great as that at</HI> Steenkerk. Did we then in earne&s;t loo&s;e 20000 Men at <HI>Steen|kerk,</HI> and could we not find in our Hearts to own above 3000? This is a di&s;covery would never have come out, had it not been upon this occa&s;ion. In &s;hort, either our Lo&s;s was greater at <HI>Steenkerk</HI> then in the late Battle, or it was not; If it was, then we may perceive what an exact Hi&s;tory we had of that Action the la&s;t Year, if it was not, then this Summers <HI>Gazette</HI> endeavours to impo&s;e very unfairly upon the Nation. Now tho 'tis pretty plain, the <HI>London Ga|z<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ties</HI> did not give us much above a third part of the <HI>Steenkerk</HI>-Misfortune, yet it was in reality far &s;hort of the pre&s;ent Accident. For I de&s;ire to know of the Gazetteer, whe|ther more then one third of the Army was Engaged at <HI>Steenkerk?</HI> Did the Confede|rates then loo&s;e their Cannon and great part of their Baggage? Was the Generals Plate taken at <HI>Steenkerk,</HI> and his Tent left the D. of <HI>Luxemburg</HI> to write his Letters in? Did the whole Army go off Routed and broken into little Bodies at <HI>Steen|kerk;</HI> or did Mr. <HI>Harcourt</HI> come in and Defeat &s;everal Thou&s;ands in their Retreat? But after all, <HI>'Tis certain the</HI> French <HI>have Lo&s;t double the Number we have. Gazette, Aug.</HI> 27. Pray how is this certain? Did we remain upon the Field to count the Slain? No, we were forced to retire. Have we Mu&s;tered &s;ince the Battle? We don't pretend to this neither. I &s;uppo&s;e becau&s;e <HI>Our Forces are not all of them come together. (Relation</HI> of the <HI>Battle,</HI> &amp;c.) Have we received an Account from the <HI>French?</HI> That cannot be; for this Gazetteer (<HI>Aug.</HI> 3.) tells you, They have Publi&s;hed none: And the <HI>Paris Gazette</HI> &s;ays the &s;ame. How then, <HI>are We certain.</HI> No doubt by Inflinct, as we are certain of every Thing el&s;e. For I perceive the Gazetteer does not pretend to come by his knowledge the &s;ame way with other Mortals. Mo&s;t People I believe would be &s;o far from thinking the Gazet|teers Relation <HI>Certain;</HI> that they would &s;carce imagin it po&s;&s;ible. Indeed how &s;hould it? For the <HI>French</HI> were granted to be almo&s;t two to one. This gives them the Advantage of Fighting fre&s;h Men, again&s;t tho&s;e who were fatigued. Farther, they
<PB N="7" REF="4">forced the Camp, and had 3 or 4 almo&s;t unre&s;i&s;ting hours to Slaughter in. And to compleat the Misfortune of the Confede|rates, &s;everal Thou&s;ands of them were &s;et upon, and Per&s;ued into a River, by a fre&s;h Enemy. (Recueil <HI>Aug.</HI> 13.) I &s;hall now in the</P>
<P>Second place examin the <HI>Gazetteers</HI> Re|lation concerning the Cannon and Bag|gage, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> and here the fir&s;t <HI>Gaz. Jul.</HI> 27. &s;ays nothing of the matter, which is a plain confe&s;&s;ion that all was lo&s;t (and thus we mu&s;t con&s;true the <HI>Gazette</HI> in like ca&s;es.) The <HI>Gazetteer</HI> was apprehen&s;ive of this In|ference, and therefore in his next of <HI>July</HI> 31. he brings in his Captain who &s;ecures all into a Tri&s;le. And &s;ince he has put this Captain upon the Nation for an In|telligencer, he mu&s;t be an&s;werable for him. Now this Gent. a&s;&s;ures us, <HI>That we have lo&s;t none of our great Cannon, but only</HI> 7 <HI>or</HI> 8 <HI>Field Pieces.</HI> I confe&s;s this looks &s;o like a Je&s;t to all Men who can di&s;tingui&s;h be|tween a Cannon and a Pi&s;tol; that I was &s;ometime before I could believe the Ga|zetteer would put it upon us. I could not at fir&s;t imagin he would give his Pa&s;s to &s;uch a ridiculous Story to travel the Na|tion: I was willing for the Credit of the <HI>Gazette</HI> to &s;uppo&s;e an Error in the Pre&s;s; and that in&s;tead of <HI>we have lo&s;t none of our great Cannon,</HI> &amp;c. it &s;hould have been &s;aid, <HI>we have &s;aved none of out great Cannon, but</HI> 7 <HI>or</HI> 8 <HI>Field-Pieces.</HI> That this was the true Reading I thought I had rea&s;on to conclude, both from particular Relations of this Circum&s;tance, and from the general I&s;&s;ue of the Battle. However con&s;idering the Gazetteers cu&s;tom, I believe the Print may be much more correct then the Story. Let us examin which way the Cannon could be &s;aved; to bring the point to a &s;hort i&s;&s;ue. If the Artillery was &s;aved, it mu&s;t be &s;ent off either before, in, or after the Fight. That it was not &s;ent away be|fore the Fight is unque&s;tionable; for would the Confederates part with their Cannon, when the <HI>French</HI> were in &s;ight; when they expected an immediate Attack, and de&s;ign'd to keep within their Intrench|ments? Would they unfortify their Camp, and lay them&s;elves open to the Enemy? We may as well &s;uppo&s;e they would &s;end away their Pikes and Mu&s;quets as their Cannon upon &s;uch an occa&s;ion. Farther, to &s;uppo&s;e the Artillery &s;ent away during the Fight is as unaccountable as the former Scheme. For can we &s;uppo&s;e they would part with their principal Defence at the time they were u&s;ing it? We may as well imagin they detatch'd half their Men, and cho&s;e to Fight with the Remainder. From hence it appears, that unle&s;s the Cannon was &s;aved in the Retreat, we mu&s;t give it for lo&s;t, Now I appeal to any one of common Sence whether this was not im|po&s;&s;ible, when the defeat was &s;o entire, and the flight made with &s;uch ha&s;te and precipitation? Could the Hor&s;e lodge the Artillery in their Hol&s;ters, or did the Foot run away with it under their Armes, as St. <HI>Dennis</HI> is &s;aid to carry off his Head? I de&s;ire not to be mi&s;under&s;tood, I am far from being plea&s;ed with the Misfortune of any Party; I lament the lo&s;s of the <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> and heartily wi&s;h we might have Peace and <HI>Ju&s;tice,</HI> without the Expence of an ounce of Blood; but &s;uch a Reporter as the Ga|zetteer cannot be too much expos'd. To be &s;hort the Lo&s;s was &s;o vi&s;ible that the <HI>Dutch</HI> de&s;pairing to hide it, have frankly owned a great part of it in their <HI>R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cucil</HI> of <HI>Aug.</HI> 10. where we are told, <HI>That after the Camp was forced, the</HI> French <HI>took</HI> 60 <HI>Pieces of Cannon, and cut off</HI> 8 <HI>or</HI> 10 Engli&s;h <HI>Bat|talions who were po&s;ted to Guard it.</HI> And their next <HI>Recucil Aug.</HI> 13. owns the loo|&s;ing of <HI>&s;ome Mortars.</HI> 'Tis now time to look after the Baggage if there is any. The <HI>Gazette Aug.</HI> 31. a&s;&s;ures us <HI>it was all &s;aved, being &s;ent away the day before the Fight.</HI> Under-favour, not all &s;ent away, for no doubt they left Ammunition to fight with; they left Provi&s;ion and their Tents too, unle&s;s they intended never to eat or lodge there more. Now to put their Men, after they were fatigued with fight|ing and embarra&s;&s;ed with the Wounded, upon a March of &s;everal Miles for Lodging and Refre&s;hment, is a &s;train of Di&s;cipline &s;omewhat extraordinary. I think the Ga|zetteer is too free with the Confederates, for as he repre&s;ents the matter, they &s;eemed to de&s;pair at the approach of the Enemy, and re&s;olved before hand to quit their Camp. But to &s;ay this is Inju&s;tice to the Confederates, who behaved them&s;elves with Bravery and Re&s;olution, and were far from making &s;uch an ignoble Provi&s;ion as the Gazetteer's Account &s;uppo&s;es.</P>
<PB N="8" REF="5" MS="y">
<P> This Relation, together with that of Count <HI>Tilly</HI>'s taking the <HI>French</HI> Baggage, 60 Pieces of Cannon, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> was &s;o &s;uperla|tively Extravagant, that I thought i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> had been calculated only for the Meridian of <HI>England;</HI> and that the Gazetteer would never have &s;ent it beyond Sea in his <HI>French</HI> Tran&s;lation; but upon Enquiry I find he has courage in all Languages. I &s;uppo&s;e he might pre&s;ent the Allies with this Narra|tive by way of Triumph, to &s;hew to what degree we may be practi&s;ed upon, and how far he is Ma&s;ter of our Under&s;tandings.</P>
<P>But if we are thus far out of our Wits, he does unkindly to expo&s;e us in Foreign Countries, e&s;pecially con&s;idering from what Q<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">arter the Di&s;temper began. Upon this occa&s;ion it may not be improper to ob&s;erve one &s;urpri&s;ing Pa&s;&s;age from the <HI>Relation of the Battel, &amp;c.</HI> This Relator does not &s;tick to affirm, <HI>That we have lo&s;t &s;ome Standards and taken as many.</HI> Taken as many! That con&s;idering the Event of the Day &s;eems very &s;trange; pray let us hear the <HI>Holland</HI> Prints in this Matter, for the <HI>Dutch</HI> are both well planted for Information, and without doubt inclined to do Right to their Allies and them&s;elves; we have no rea&s;on therefore to &s;u&s;pect their Te&s;timony to their own Di&s;advantage. Now they (<HI>Re|c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cil. Aug.</HI> 13.) are &s;o candid as to ac|knowledge that the Confederates had ta|ken but 7 <HI>Standards and Colours, and lo&s;t above</HI> 80. The whole is thus, In the be|ginning of the Day, the Confederates are &s;aid to have taken about 26 Standards, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> (which tho far &s;hort of the number po&s;&s;e&s;|&s;ed by the Enemy) yet even the&s;e were all regained to the 7 abovenamed. And af|ter they were lo&s;t, to what purpo&s;e &s;hould they be mentioned? This was &s;o mean an Equivo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ation that the <HI>Holland</HI> Print was a&s;hamed to u&s;e it. However it is the only &s;helter to which the <HI>Eagli&s;h</HI> Relater can pretend; and thus we have <HI>taken as many Standards as we lo&s;t!</HI> That the <HI>Dutch</HI> &s;hould have &s;o much more Mode&s;ty then we have! Into what declen&s;ions of Honour and Con&s;cience are we fallen! Thus I have &s;hewn what an Excellent Account of Fact we are likely to receive from the <HI>London</HI>-Intelligencers; I have &s;hew<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in what ma|terial Points the <HI>Relation, &amp;c.</HI> and the Ga|zetteer cla&s;h with each other, how the lat|ter contradicts him&s;elf and the Confede|rate Prints abroad, how he turns Defeats into a kind of Victory, charges through Impo&s;&s;ibilities, and even exceeds the Li|berties of a Romance. The&s;e are ble&s;&s;ed Memoirs to tran&s;cribe into Hi&s;tory: Truth mu&s;t be handed to Po&s;terity in a noble Light at this rate, and the Chronicle ob|liged for ever. And if he treats us in this manner ju&s;t at home, what Di&s;coveries may we not expect from more di&s;tant Pla|ces? What admirable returns of News mu&s;t we make from the <HI>Ea&s;t</HI> and <HI>West In|dies,</HI> from <HI>Mo&s;co</HI> and <HI>Con&s;tantinople?</HI> And can any <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Man &s;ee his Country thus u&s;ed without Re&s;entment? Is it not enough to have our Ships burnt and taken to a prodigious value, to loo&s;e our Trade by Sea and our Armies by Land, without be|ing Banter'd into the Bargain? To bear us down that all the&s;e Accidents are in&s;igni|ficant, is like cutting a Mans Throat, and then &s;wearing to him he ails nothing? To imagin &s;uch wretched Stories as the&s;e will pa&s;s Mu&s;ter; is to treat the Nation with the utmo&s;t Scorn and Contempt, and in effect to proclaim them Fools in Print.</P>
<P>One would think the Gazetteer might have moved within a more moderate com|pa&s;s: Had he only flouri&s;h'd an Advan|tage and le&s;&s;en'd a Misfortune: Had he called running away, <HI>Retiring,</HI> and broke<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, the lo&s;s by the Softne&s;s and Di&s;tance of his Style, this had not been &s;o &s;urpri&s;ing; &s;uch &s;troaks of Breeding and Rhetoric are ex|pected from him. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">arther, Had he publi&s;h'd the gaining a Penny, and concealed the lo&s;s of a Pound: Had his Expre&s;&s;ion been per|plex'd upon occa&s;ion, and his Meaning my|&s;tical and two handed. This freedom might have been in &s;ome mea&s;ure charg'd upon the pre&s;ent <HI>Service,</HI> and pleaded off by the privilege of an Heathen Oracle. But to make us believe we have no Sences; to run a Tilt at notorious Fact, and at|tempt the extingui&s;hing the Sun, is too much in all Con&s;cience.</P>
<P>I thought this Gent. had fini&s;hed the Battle by his intermitting <HI>Gazette</HI> of <HI>Aug.</HI> 7. But I perceive I am mi&s;taken, for <HI>Aug.</HI> 10. he invokes his Mu&s;e a fre&s;h, and runs a great length of Poetry. I hope the Key I have given to interp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">et his flights, will make him better under&s;tood, and more ad|mired for the future.</P>
<P>As for the other little News-Papers, they are below Notice, I &s;hall therefore di&s;mi&s;s the Argument.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>Aug.</HI> 1693.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>THE END.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
