inclin’d, had it not in their Power to make any considerable Resistance; to which, if it be added, that he could have had Mules and Horses immediately provided for him, in what Number he pleas’d, together with Carriages necessary for Artillery, Baggage, and Ammunition; in few Days he could have forc’d King Philip out of Madrid, where he had so little Force to oppose him.  And as there was nothing in his Way to prevent or obstruct his marching thither, it is hard to conceive any other Part King Philip could have acted in such an Extremity, than to retire either towards Portugal or Catalonia.  In either of which Cases he must have left all the middle Part of Spain open to the Pleasure of the Enemy; who in the mean time would have had it in their Power to prevent any Communication of those Bodies at such opposite Extreams of the Country, as were the Frontiers of Portugal and Barcelona, where only, as I said before, were any regular Troops.

And on the other Side, as the Forces of the Earl of Peterborow were more than sufficient for an Attempt where there was so little Danger of Opposition; so if their Army on the Frontiers of Portugal should have march’d back upon him into the Country; either the Portugueze Army could have enter’d into Spain without Opposition; or, at worst, supposing the General had been forc’d to retire, his Retreat would have been easy and safe into those Parts of Valencia and Andahzia, which he previously had secur’d.  Besides, Gibraltar, the strongest Place in Spain, if not in the whole World, was already in our Possession, and a great Fleet at Hand ready to give Assistance in all Places near the Sea.  From all which it is pretty apparent, that in a little time the War on our Side might have been supported without entering the Mediterranean; by which Means all Reinforcements would have been much nearer at Hand, and the Expences of transporting Troops and Ammunition very considerably diminish’d.

But none of these Arguments, though every one of them is founded on solid Reason, were of Force enough against the prevailing Opinion for an Attempt upon Catalonia.  Mr. Crow, Agent for the Queen in those Parts, had sent into England most positive Assurances, that nothing would be wanting, if once our Fleet made an invasion amongst the Catalans:  The Prince of Hesse likewise abounded in mighty Offers and prodigious Assurances; all which enforc’d our Army to that Part of Spain, and that gallant Prince to those Attempts in which he lost his Life.  Very much against the Inclination of our General, who foresaw all those Difficulties, which were no less evident afterwards to every one; and the Sense of which occasion’d those Delays, and that Opposition to any Effort upon Barcelona, which ran thro’ so many successive Councils of War.