mountain.  It was not until the Duc de Noailles, whose father had done some service to the chiefs of these Miquelets, had parleyed with them, and made terms with them, that our troops were relieved from these cruel wasps.  We suffered much loss in our retreat, which, with the siege, cost us full four thousand men.  The army stopped at Roussillon, and the King of Spain, escorted by two regiments of dragoons, made the best of his way to Madrid.  That city was itself in danger from the Portuguese, and, indeed, fell into their hands soon after.  The Queen, who, with her children, had left it in time to avoid capture, felt matters to be in such extremity, that she despatched all the jewels belonging to herself and her husband to France.  They were placed in the custody of the King.  Among them was that famous pear-shaped pearl called the Peregrine, which, for its weight, its form, its size, and its water, is beyond all price and all comparison.

The King of Spain effected a junction with the army of Berwick, and both set to work to reconquer the places the Portuguese had taken from them.  In this they were successful.  The Portuguese, much harassed by the people of Castille, were forced to abandon all they had gained; and the King of Spain was enabled to enter Madrid towards the end of September, where he was received with much rejoicing.

In Italy we experienced the most disastrous misfortunes.  M. de Vendome, having been called from the command to go into Flanders, M. d’Orleans, after some deliberation, was appointed to take his place.  M. d’Orleans set out from Paris on the 1st of July, with twenty-eight horses and five chaises, to arrive in three days at Lyons, and then to hasten on into Italy.  La Feuillade was besieging Turin.  M. d’Orleans went to the siege.  He was magnificently received by La Feuillade, and shown all over the works.  He found everything defective.  La Feuillade was very young, and very inexperienced.  I have already related an adventure of his, that of his seizing upon the coffers of his uncle, and so forestalling his inheritance.  To recover from the disgrace this occurrence brought upon him, he had married a daughter of Chamillart.  Favoured by this minister, but coldly looked upon by the King, he had succeeded in obtaining command in the army, and had been appointed to conduct this siege.  Inflated by the importance of his position, and by the support of Chamillart, he would listen to no advice from any one.  M. d’Orleans attempted to bring about some changes, and gave orders to that effect, but as soon as he was gone, La Feuillade countermanded those orders and had everything his own way.  The siege accordingly went on with the same ill-success as before.