The Marquess de St. Chaumont, sent by the King into the Country of the Elector of Treves, to force his Enemies from the rest of his Towns, and to establish him.
IF his Majesty shewed any thing of Prudence in preventing the conclusion of any Treaty between the Spaniard and the Hollanders, he discovered no lesse courage in his indeavour to re-establish the Elector of Treves, in the rest of those places which his enemies had usurped from him, Fumay and Reveign, scituated on two Pennisula's upon the River Meuse, had ever acknowledged him for their Soveraign Lord; but the Spaniard whom conveniency seemeth to intitle unto any places which they may master, had clapp'd a garrison into them, designing to fortifie them, to secure the Commerce of that River, and withall to make some enterprise upon the Frontier of Champagne. The King could not put up such an injury offe∣red unto the Elector, since he had taken him into his protection, but ordered the Marquess de St. Chaumont to march toward Meziers, with those forces which he commanded in Champagne to dislodge them. The Sieur de Chastelliers Barlort, and the Comte de la Suze, were made Marshals de Camp, who comming to the Army marched directly away toward those two places. His courage made him wish that he might find some opposition, whereby he might obtain the more glo∣ry to his Masters Arms; but making his approaches he understood that the Spanish Garison, notwithstanding all their Rodomontades had marched out the night be∣fore without sound of Trumpet, so that instead of fighting, all he had to do, was to receive testimonies of the inhabitants joy, who acknowledging his Majesty for their Protector, did willingly receive the Regiment of Champagne into Fumay, and that of Normandy into Reveign. The Marquess de St. Chaumont, finding himself obliged to remunerate their good will, by all the favours which he could do them in quartering of the Army, setled so good an Order amongst the Souldiers, that they never took any thing without paying for it, but behaved themselves with great moderation and courtesie. The Enemy did not then oblige him to be more active at that time, and indeed the season of the year was such, in regard of the Snows and Frost, that he could not march without difficulty, so that his Majesty sent him Order to return, and to leave his Forces in Garrison upon the Frontier. He returned to spend some time at the Fort, whereupon the 10th. of February, he and the Comte Brissac were created Ministers of State to serve his Majesty in his Counsel, the Spaniards who never sleep but when they have nothing to do, took the occasion of his absence to return into the Country of the Elector of Treves, and to do what they pleased; but the King, and the invitation of the Spring, per∣mitting his return, he carried the Army back again, and without much ado forced them to quit the Field. The next thing he resolved, was to assault Freidembourg, upon which they had seized, whose Garrison offered a thousand violences to Tra∣vellers, and the adjacent places. The Comte de la Suze commanded it to be in∣vested, and comming in person before it in the moneth of June, he summoned Machinister who commanded it for the Comte d'Embden, and upon refusal of a surrender they provided to assault it. The Town was won with little resistance, and the Castle forced within two daies after, there being not above three or four men slain on both parts. Thus the Country of Treves was totally reduced unto his Majesty's Possession; neverthelesse his Majesty having only secured it for the