Lord Galway, who at this Time lay before Villena, receiving this Intelligence from those well instructed Deserters, immediately rais’d the Siege; with a Resolution, by a hasty March, to force the Enemy to Battle, before the Duke of Orleans should be able to join the Duke of Berwick.  To effect this, after a hard March of three long Spanish Leagues in the heat of the Day; he appears a little after Noon in the face of the Enemy with his fatigu’d Forces.  Glad and rejoyc’d at the Sight, for he found his Plot had taken; Berwick, the better to receive him, draws up his Army in a half Moon, placing at a pretty good Advance three Regiments to make up the Centre, with express Order, nevertheless, to retreat at the very first Charge.  All which was punctually observ’d, and had its desired Effect; For the three Regiments, at the first Attack gave way, and seemingly fled towards their Camp; the English, after their customary Manner, pursuing them with Shouts and Hollowings.  As soon as the Duke of Berwick perceiv’d his Trap had taken, he order’d his right and left Wings to close; by which Means, he at once cut off from the rest of their Army all those who had so eagerly pursu’d the imaginary Runaways.  In short, the Rout was total, and the most fatal Blow that ever the English receiv’d during the whole War with Spain.  Nor, as it is thought, with a great probability of Reason, had those Troops that made their Retreat to the Top of the Hills, under Major General Shrimpton, met with any better Fate than those on the Plain, had the Spaniards had any other General in the Command than the Duke of Berwick; whose native Sympathy gave a check to the Ardour of a victorious Enemy.  And this was the sense of the Spaniards themselves after the Battle.  Verifying herein that noble Maxim, That Victory to generous Minds is only an Inducement to Moderation.

The Day after this fatal Battle (which gave occasion to a Spanish piece of Wit, that the English General had routed the French) the Duke of Orleans did arrive indeed in the Camp, but with an Army of only fourteen Attendants.

The fatal Effects of this Battle were soon made visible, and to none more than those in Alicant.  The Enemy grew every Day more and more troublesome; visiting us in Parties more boldly than before:  and often hovering about us so very near, that with our Cannon we could hardly teach ’em to keep a proper Distance. Gorge the Governor of Alicant being recall’d into England, Major General Richards was by King Charles appointed Governor in his Place.  He was a Roman Catholick, and very much belov’d by the Natives on that Account; tho’ to give him his due, he behaved himself extremely well in all other Respects.  It was in his Time, that a Design was laid of surprising Guardamere, a small Sea-port Town, in Murcia:  But the military Bishop (for he was in a literal Sense excellent tam Marte, quam Mercurio, among his many others Exploits), by a timely Expedition, prevented that.