The late history of Europe being a narration of all remarkable actions and other various affairs, both civil and military, that have happened in the several kingdoms and republicks : from the Treaty at Nimiguen in anno 1676 to the conclusion of the late peace at Res-Wick in September 1697 : which makes up a history of one and twenty years : accuratly and succinctly abridg'd / by Captain David Kennendy.

SECT. 1.

[Sect. 1] Notwithstanding the universal Sor∣row, occasioned by the Death of Our excellent Queen, the Parliament went on effectually with their Work, tending to the publick well and safety, passing several Acts to that end, and all agreeable to His Majesties Will and Desire.

Affairs in Flanders req••iring the Kings speedy re∣pair thither; He was pleased before His Departure) to appoint Lords Justices, for the Administration of the Government, during His Absence, viz. The Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury,* 1.1 The Lord Keep∣er, The Earl of Pemb••ook, The Duke of Devonshire, The Duke of Shrew bury, The Farl of Dorset, and the Lord Godolphine: And so on the 12 of May, He departed for Holland.

* 1.2The Famous Luxemburg Dying the beginning of this Year, The French King gave the Command of his Army to the Duke de Villeroy; The Confederate Army outnumbering the French this Year, by Twenty thousand. The King formed his Army into Two Camps, one commanded by himself, and under him, by the Old Prince de Vaudemont; And the other, by the Dukes of Bavaria, and Holstein Pl••∣en. On the 27 of May, the King went from Breda to Ghent, and his main design being upon Namure, he detached the Earl of Athlone (with 40 Squadrons of of Horse, thitherward; And finding he could not draw the Duke of Villeroy to a Battle, he concluded on the Seige of Namure, and on the 19, of June, he marched to Rosclair, where he lest the Army with Prince Vaudemont, and went himself towards the Muse. And in the mean time sent orders to the Earl of Athione Encamped then at Tilmont) to march and invest Namure, which accordingly he did; but wanting Troops to surround the Town entirely,

Bousslers took an opportunity to throw himself into the Town with Eight Regiments of his choise Dra∣goons, but sent away most of the Horses.

* 1.3The Duke of Bavaria's Forces coming up, all the Posts about Namure were taken, and the Seige was compleatly formed by the 23d, of June. So we reckon from this day, the Seige begun.

And here, In the First place. My Author gives a particular account of all the defects of the Fortifi∣cations of Namure, of its Weakness, and the disad∣vantages it ley under, when the French took it, and of the admirable Enfor ements and improvements they had made in it since, to that height, as not on∣ly themselves (but others) look't upon it now, as impregnable: Which gave them the confidence to set up this Inscription over one of the Gates, Reddi non vinci potest, And all this he Writes in proper military Terms, as if he had been an expert pro∣fest Engenier. In the 2d. place,* 1.4 He gives an ac∣count of Villeroys design of attacking Prince Vaude∣monts Army, on the 4th, of July, which he delayed till the next day, but that Night, the Prince gave him the Slip, marching his Army entirely away, with that wonderful secrecy and celerity, as by his excellent conduct, he made a safe retreat to Ghent by six a clock next morning. This was so fine a peice of the art of War, as can hardly be parallel'd in History, to which, the King [now the greatest Captain known] gave His Testimony, by his Let∣ter to the Prince so soon as he heard of his safe Escape

And in the 3d. place, He goes on with the full narration of the admirable proceedings at this Fa∣mous Seige, in which truly, there are many remark∣able Exploits, very well worth the Observation, and memory of all such as have a Maretal Genius. The particulars whereof I hope the Render will not expect from me, my proper work being (in effect)

nothing else, but as the large Contents of a Chap∣ter, so as he must be content at present with this breif accumulative account. The Seige beginning on the 23d. of June (as a foresaid) it was carried on with incessant application till the 2d. of August whereon,* 1.5 all things being ready for a General As∣sault, Count Guiscard, the Governour, gave the sign for a Parley, whereon Hostages being exchang∣ed, and Honourable Conditions being granted, he surrendered the Town on the 4th, of August, but the Castle held out still.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lord Ju∣stices of England
• * 1.2

  Villeroy General of the French Armies, after Lux∣emburgs Death
• * 1.3

  Namure beseiged
• * 1.4

  Prince Vaude∣mounts brave Re∣treat
• * 1.5

  The Town of Namure yeilded