Upon this, two Priests were sent out of the Place with Proposals; but they were so triflingly extravagant, that as soon as ever the General heard them, he order’d their Answer in a fresh Renewal of the Fire of both Cannon and Mortars.  And it happen’d to be with so much Havock and Execution, that they were soon taught Reason; and sent back their Divines, with much more moderate Demands.  After the General had a little modell’d these last, they were accepted; and according to the Articles of Capitulation, the City was that very Day surrender’d into our Possession.  The Earl of Duncannon’s Regiment took Guard of all the Gates; and King Charles was proclaim’d in due Form.

The Earl of Peterborow, during this Expedition, had left Valencia, and was arriv’d at my Lord Galway’s Camp at Guadalaxara; who for the Confederates, and King Charles in particular, unfortunately was order’d from Portugal, to take the Command from a General, who had all along been almost miraculously successful, and by his own great Actions pay’d the Way for a safe Passage to that his Supplanter.

Yet even in this fatal Place the Earl of Peterborow made some Proposals, which, had they been embrac’d, might, in all Probability, have secur’d Madrid from falling into the Hands of the Enemy; But, in opposition thereto, the Lord Galway, and all his Portugueze Officers, were for forcing the next Day the Enemy to Battle.  The almost only Person against it was the Earl of Peterborow; who then and there took the Liberty to evince the Impossibility of coming to an Engagement.  This the next Morning too evidently made apparent, when upon the first Motion of our Troops towards the River, which they pretended to pass, and must pass, before they could engage, they were so warmly saluted from the Batteries of the Enemy, and their small Shot, that our Regiments were forc’d to retire in Confusion to their Camp.  By which Rebuff all heroical Imaginations were at present laid aside, to consider how they might make their Retreat to Valencia.

The Retreat being at last resolv’d on, and a Multiplicity of Generals rendering our bad Circumstances much worse, the Earl of Peterborow met with a fortunate Reprieve, by Solicitations from the Queen, and Desires tantamount to Orders, that he would go with the Troops left in Catalonia to the Relief of the Duke of Savoy.  It is hardly to be doubted that that General was glad to withdraw from those Scenes of Confusion, which were but too visible to Eyes even less discerning than his.  However, he forebore to prepare himself to put her Majesty’s Desires in execution, as they were not peremptory, till it had been resolv’d by the unanimous Consent of a Council of War, where the King, all the Generals and Ministers were present.  That it was expedient for the Service that the Earl of Peterborow, during the Winter Season, should comply with her Majesty’s