and these sights over, and a handsome refection
and chocolate being served to the English gentlemen, they were accompanied
back to their shallop with every courtesy, and were the only two officers
of the English army that saw at that time that famous city.

The general tried the power of another proclamation on the Spaniards, in
which he announced that we only came in the interest of Spain and King
Charles, and for ourselves wanted to make no conquest nor settlement in
Spain at all. But all this eloquence was lost upon the Spaniards, it would
seem: the Captain-General of Andalusia would no more listen to us than the
Governor of Cadiz; and in reply to his grace's proclamation, the Marquis
of Villadarias fired off another, which those who knew the Spanish thought
rather the best of the two; and of this number was Harry Esmond, whose
kind Jesuit in old days had instructed him, and now had the honour of
translating for his grace these harmless documents of war. There was a
hard touch for his grace, and, indeed, for other generals in her Majesty's
service, in the concluding sentence of the Don: "That he and his council
had the generous example of their ancestors to follow, who had never yet
sought their elevation in the blood or in the flight of their kings.
'_Mori pro patria_' was his device, which the duke might communicate to
the princess who governed England."

Whether the troops were angry at this repartee or no, 'tis certain
something put them in a fury; for, not being able to get possession of
Cadiz, our people seized upon Port St. Mary's and sacked it, burning down
the merchants' storehouses, getting drunk with the famous wines there,
pillaging and robbing quiet houses and convents, murdering and doing
worse. And the only blood which Mr. Esmond drew in this shameful campaign,
was the knocking down an English sentinel with a half-pike, who was
offering insult to a poor trembling nun. Is she going to turn out a
beauty? or a princess? or perhaps Esmond's mother that he had lost and
never seen? Alas no, it was but a poor wheezy old dropsical woman, with a
wart on her nose. But having been early taught a part of the Roman
religion, he never had the horror of it that some Protestants have shown,
and seem to think to be a part of ours.

After the pillage and plunder of St. Mary's, and an assault upon a fort or
two, the troops all took shipping, and finished their expedition, at any
rate, more brilliantly than it had begun.