tion; and when they offer'd to bring the Colours before him,
he would not so much as see them. A little before the Duke went to
Supper, _Bateman_ himself was brought to him, but the Duke turn'd away
from him without any further Notice than coldly saying, that _he thought
he was very strangely taken_. The Wags of the Army made a thorough jest
of him, and said his military Conduct was of a piece with his Oeconomy,
having two Days before this March, sent his young handsome Wife into
_England_, under the Guardship of the young Chaplain of the Regiment.

_April_ 15. In the Year 1707, being _Easter Monday_, we had in the
Morning a flying Report in _Alicant_, that there had been the Day before
a Battle at _Almanza_, between the Army under the Command of the Duke of
_Berwick_, and that of the _English_, under Lord _Galway_, in which the
latter had suffer'd an entire Defeat. We at first gave no great Credit
to it: But, alas, we were too soon woefully convinced of the Truth of
it, by Numbers that came flying to us from the conquering Enemy. Then
indeed we were satisfied of Truths, too difficult before to be credited.
But as I was not present in that calamitous Battle, I shall relate it,
as I received it from an Officer then in the Duke's Army.

To bring the Lord _Galway_ to a Battle, in a Place most commodious for
his purpose, the Duke made use of this Stratagem: He ordered two
_Irishmen_, both Officers, to make their way over to the Enemy as
Deserters; putting this Story in their Mouths, that the Duke of
_Orleans_ was in a full March to join the Duke of _Berwick_ with twelve
thousand Men; that this would be done in two Days, and that then they
would find out the Lord _Galway_, and force him to Fight, where-ever
they found him.

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 r