cil of War being call'd, it was
unanimously resolv'd to raise the Siege. Accordingly, next Morning, the
first of _May_, 1706, while the Sun was under a total Eclypse, in a
suitable Hurry and Confusion, they broke up, leaving behind them most of
their Cannon and Mortars, together with vast Quantities of all sorts of
Ammunition and Provisions, scarce stopping to look back till they had
left all but the very Verge of the disputed Dominion behind them.

King _Charles_ look'd with new Pleasure upon this lucky Effort of his
old Deliverers. Captivity is a State no way desirable to Persons however
brave, of the most private Station in Life; but for a King, within two
Days of falling into the Hands of his Rival, to receive so seasonable
and unexpected a Deliverance, must be supposed, as it really did, to
open a Scene to universal Rejoicing among us, too high for any Words to
express, or any Thoughts to imagine, to those that were not present and
Partakers of it. He forthwith gave Orders for a Medal to be struck
suitable to the Occasion; one of which, set round with Diamonds, he
presented to Sir _John Leake_, the _English_ Admiral. The next Orders
were for re-casting all the damag'd brass Cannon which the Enemy had
left; upon every one of which was, by order, a Sun eclyps'd, with this
Motto under it: _Magna parvis obscurantur_.

I have often wonder'd that I never heard any Body curious enough to
enquire what could be the Motives to the King of _Spain's_ quitting his
Dominions upon the raising of this Siege; very certain it is that he had
a fine Army, under the Command of a Mareschal of _France_, not very
considerably decreas'd, either by Action or Desertion: But all this
would rather increase the Curiosity than abate it. In my Opinion then,
though Men might have Curiosity enough, the Question was purposely
evaded, under an Apprehension that an honest Answer must inevitably give
a higher Idea of the General than their Inclinations led them to. At
first View this may carry the Face of a Paradox; yet if the Reader will
consider, that in every Age Virtue has had its Shaders or Maligners, he
will himself easily solve it, at the same time that he finds himself
compell'd to allow, that those, who found themselves unable to prevent
his great Services, were willing, in a more subtil Manner, to endeavour
at the annulling of them by Silence and Concealment.

This will appear more than bare Supposition, if we compare the present
Situation,