By this we may see what Share Fortune has in the greatest Events.  In all probability the Earl of Peterborow had never engag’d in such a dangerous Affair in cold Blood and unprovok’d; and if such an Enterprize had been resolv’d on in a regular Way, it is very likely he might have given the Command to some of the General Officers; since it is not usual, nor hardly allowable, for one, that commands in chief, to go in Person on such kind of Services.  But here we see the General and Prince, notwithstanding their late indifferent Harmony, engag’d together in this most desperate Undertaking.

Brigadier Stanhope and Mr. Methuen (now Sir Paul) were the General’s particular Friends, and those he most consulted, and most confided in; yet he never imparted this Resolution of his to either of them; for he was not willing to engage them in a Design so dangerous, and where there was so little Hope of Success; rather choosing to reserve them as Persons most capable of giving Advice and Assistance in the Confusion, great enough already, which yet must have been greater, if any Accident had happen’d to himself.  And I have very good Reason to believe, that the Motive, which mainly engag’d the Earl of Peterborow in this Enterprize, was to satisfy the Prince of Hesse and the World, that his Diffidence proceeded from his Concern for the Troops committed to his Charge, and not for his own Person.  On the other Hand, the great Characters of the two Gentlemen just mention’d are so well known, that it will easily gain Credit, that the only Way the General could take to prevent their being of the Party, was to conceal it from them, as he did from all Mankind, even from the Archduke himself.  And certainly there never was a more universal Surprize than when the firing was heard next Morning from Monjouick.

But I now proceed to give an exact Account of this great Action; of which no Person, that I have heard of, ever yet took upon him to deliver to Posterity the glorious Particulars; and yet the Consequences and Events, by what follows, will appear so great, and so very extraordinary, that few, if any, had they had it in their Power, would have deny’d themselves the Pleasure or the World the Satisfaction of knowing it.

The Troops, which march’d all Night along the Foot of the Mountains, arriv’d two Hours before Day under the Hill of Monjouick, not a Quarter of a Mile from the outward Works:  For this Reason it was taken for granted, whatever the Design was which the General had propos’d to himself, that it would be put in Execution before Day-light; but the Earl of Peterborow was now pleas’d to inform the Officers of the Reasons why he chose to stay till the Light appear’d.  He was of opinion that any Success would be impossible, unless the Enemy came into the outward Ditch under the Bastions of the second Enclosure; but that if they had time allow’d them to come thither, there being no Palisadoes, our Men, by leaping in upon them, after receipt of their first Fire, might drive ’em into the upper Works; and following them close, with some Probability, might force them, under that Confusion, into the inward Fortifications.