nifter went to the Congrefs at Nimeguen, where A. C. the French and Dutch Ambaffadors being already 1676. arriv'd, prefs'd very much for his coming, in regard Sir Lionel Jenkins the other English Mediator, Congress excus'd himfelf from entring upon any Bufinefs form'd at till Sir William Temple's Arrival.

Nime

The Prince being ready to take theField,told Sir guen.

William Temple, his Britannick Majefty's Ambaffa-July 1676.

dor, that before he went he must have fome talk The P. of with him in private, and at leifure; and for that Orange purpose defir'd it might be in the Garden of Houn-opens to fardyck. Being met at the time and place appointed, Sir W. his Highnefs told the Ambaffador, That being the Temple only Son that was left of his Family, he was often prefs'd his Defign by his Friends to think of Marrying, and had many of MarryPerfons propos'd to him,as their feveralHumours led them. princess ing the That for his own part he knew it was a thing to be done Mary. at one time or other; but that he had hitherto excus'd the thoughts of it, otherwise than in General, till the War was ended. That, befides bis own Friends, the Deputies of the States began to prefs him more earnestly every Day, and the more in that they faw the War like to continue; and perhaps they had more Reafon to do it than any others. That he had at last promis'd them he would think of it more feriously and particularly, and fo he had refov'd he wouldMarry,but the choice of a Perfon be thought more difficult. That he found himself inclin'd to no Proposals made him out of France or Germany, nor indeed to any that had been mention'd upon this Occafion, by any of his Friends, but that of England. That before he concluded to make any Advances that way he was refolv'd to have Sir William's Opinion upon two Points; but yet would not ask it,unless he pro-· mis'd to anfwer him as a Friend, or at least an indifferent Perfon. Sir William telling him he fhould be obey'd, his Highness went on and said,That he would confefs to him, That during the late Wars, neither the States, nor He in particular, were without Applications made them from Several Perfons, and Confiderable, in England, who would fain have engag'd them to head the Discontents that were rais'd by the Conduct of the Court in that whole War, which he knew was begun and Garried on quite contrary to the Humour of the Nation,

A. C. and might, perhaps, have prov'd very dangerous to the 1676. Crown, if it had not ended as it did. That all thofe

Perfons who pretended to be very much his Friends, were
extremely against any thoughts of his Marrying in Eng-
land. Their Reasons were, That he would by it lofe
all the Efteem and Interest he had there, and be be-
liev'd to have run wholly into the Difpofitions and De-
figns of the Court, which were generally thought fo dif-
ferent from thofe of the Nation, efpecially upon the point
of Religion. That his Friends there did not believe the
Government could be long without fome great Di-
fturbance, unless they chang'd their Measures, which was
not efteem'd very likely to be done; and upon this he
defir'd the Ambaffador's Thoughts as a Friend. The
next was upon the Perfon and Difpofitions of the Young
Lady; for though it would not pass in the World for a
Prince to feem concern'd in thofe Particulars, yet for
himfelf he would tell him, without any fort of Affectation,
that he was fo, and in fuch a degree, that no Circum-
Stances of Fortune or Intereft would engage him, with-
out thofe of the Perfon, efpecially thofe of Humour and
Difpofitions. That he might, perhaps, be very eafie for
a Wife to live with, he was fure he fhould not to fuch
Wives as were generally in the Courts of this Age. That
if he fheuld meet with one to give him trouble at home,
'twas what he should not be able to bear, who was like
to have enough abroad in the course of his Life: And
tat after the manner he was refolv'd to live with a
Wife, which should be the best he could, he would have
one that he thought likely to live well with him, which
he thought chiefly depended upon her Difpofition and
Education; and if Sir William knew any thing par-
ticular of the Lady Mary in thefe Points, he defir'd
to tell him freely.

૮.

Sir William Temple Anfwer'd his Highness, "That Reasons of Sir W. 'he was very glad to find that he was refolv'd to Temple Marry, being what he ow'd his Family and his to confirm "Friends; That he was much pleas'd his Inclinathe Prince "tions led him to endeavour it in Engeand. That in his Dhe thought it as much for his Intereft, as others "of his English Friends thought it was against it. That the King and his Highnefs were able to do

fign.

one another more Good and more Harm, than

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any other Princes_could do either of them, by being Friends or Enemies. That it was a great step to be one degree nearer the Crown, and in all appearance the next: That for his Friends (as they pretended) in England, they muft fee much farther than he did, to believe the King in any fuch Dangers or Difficulties as they imagin'd. That the Crown of England ftood upon furer Foundations than ever it had done in former Times, and the more for what had paft in the laft Reign, and that he believ'd the People would be found better Subjects, than perhaps the King "himfelf believ'd them. That it was however, "in his Power to be as well with them as he pleas'd, 66 and to make as fhort turns to fuch an end; if not, yet with the help of a little good Husbandry, he might pafs his Reign in Peace, though "not perhaps with fo much Eafe at Home, or Glory Abroad, as if he fell into the Vein of the "People. That if the Court were of Sentiments "different from thofe of his Highness, yet his "Advisers might make him a greater Compliment, "in believing him as likely to reduce the Court to "his, as in concluding to bring him to theirs, and "if that fhould happen the most Seditious Men "in England would be hard put to it to find an "ill fide in fuch a Match. That for the other "Point he could fay nothing to it, but that he "had always heard his Wife and his Sifter fpeak "with all the advantage that could be of what "they could difcern in a Princess fo Young, and "more from what they had been told by the Go"verness, with whom they had a particular Friend"fhip, and who, they were fure, took all the care "that could be in fo much of the Princess's Edu"cation as fell to her fhare.

A. G. 1676.

After two Hours Difcourfe upon this Matter, the Prince concluded he would enter upon this Purfuit, and in order to it would write both to the King and the Duke to beg their Favour to him in it, and their leave that he might go over into Eng land at the end of the Campagne: That Sir William Temple's Lady, a Perfon of admirable Sense and

Addrefs

A. C: Addrefs, who was then going over upon private 1676. Affairs, fhould carry and deliver both his Letters; and during her ftay fhould endeavour to inform her felf, the moft particularly fhe could, of all that concern'd the Perfon, Humour and Difpofitions of the Young Princefs, in which he feem'd fo much concern'd. Within two or three Days his Highnefs brought his Letters to Sir William's Lady, went immediately to the Army, and fhe fuddenly after into England with thofe important Dispatches.

Condé ta ken by the King of France. April 1676.

In the mean time the Succeffes of the Campaign, that were expected abfolutely to govern the Progrefs of the Treaty, ran as high to the Advantage of the French, as to the Difadvantage of the Swedes their Allies. By force of great Treafures and good Management of them, the French Magazines were always fill'd in the Winter, and they able to take the Field affoon as they pleas'd in the Spring. Whereas the Spaniards, for want of Money and Order, were uncapable either to act by themselves upon any fudden Attempt, or to fupply with Provifions in their March either the Dutch or Germans that came to their Relief. Their Towns were ill Fortified, and worfe Defended; fo that the Marefchal de Crequi having block'd up Conde, the King of France parted immediately from Paris, and in lefs than a Week forc'd the Place to Surrender at Di fcretion, although the Prince of Orange was advanc'd as far as Granville to Relieve it. In May that Monarch fent the Duke of Orleans to Beliege Bouchain, being a small though ftrong Place, and very Confiderable for its Situation between Cambray and Valenciennes, to the Defence of the Spanish Netherlands. The King with the ftrength of his Army Posted himself fo advantageoufly as to hinder the Prince of Orange from being able to relieve it, or to fight without disadvantage; and the Armies continued facing one another till Bouchain was SurBouchain, rendred the eight Day of the Siege. His Highnes May 1676 retir'd to refresh his Forces, harafs'd with fo hafty a March, upon fo fudden Preparations; and the King of France return'd to Paris, leaving his

As alfo

Troops

Troops under the Marefchal de Schomberg to ob A. C.. ferve the Motions of the Confederates. 1676.

The Prince of Orange being refolv'd to fignalize himself by fome great Action this Summer, took The Prince Meafures with the Spaniards and German Princes of Orange near the lower Rhine, for the Siege of Maeftricht Befieges which though the strongest of the Dutch Frontiers Maeftricht when it fell into the Hands of the French, had yet July 1676, receiv'd all the Advantages of Modern Fortification fince they poffefs'd it, and was defended by a Garrison of Eight Thousand chofen Men, under Calvo, a refolute Catalonian, who Commanded there under Marefchal d'Eftrades Governour of the Place; but then at Nimeguen. About the end of July the Trenches were open'd by the Prince, and the Siege carried on with fuch Bravery, fo many and desperate Affaults for about three Weeks, that moft People were Confident that it would be taken. Among the rest of the Troops that lay before the Town,the English under Colonel Fenwick, Colonel Widdrington, and Colonel foley, to the Number of Two Thousand Six Hundred Men Petition'd his Highness to Affign them a particular Quarter, and that they might be Commanded feparately, that fo if they behav'd themselves like Valiant Men, they might have all the Honour, and, if otherwife, all the fhame to themfelves. This Request his Highnefs readily granted, giving them a feparate Poft; and they made? it appear by their fierce Attacks, that they deferv'd this Diftinction. Either the Prince of Orange, or the Rhinegrave (who was defign'd for Governor of the Town, as his Father had been) were ever Encouraging the Soldiers by their Prefence many of the Out-Works were taken with great Slaughter on both fides, but were fupplied by new Retrenchments, and by all the Art and Induftry of an obftinate Commander and brave Soldiers within. About the middle of Auguft the Prince Expofing himself upon all Occafions, receiv'd a Mufquet-fhot in his Arm, at which perceiving thofe about him were daunted, he immediately pull'd off his Hat, with the Arm that was Hurt,

and