Opinion, that
none ever pleas'd me like it.

This Town was of the greater Moment to our Army, as opening a Passage
into the Kingdom of _Valencia_ on one Side, and the Kingdom of _Arragon_
on the other: And being of it self tolerably defensible, in human
Appearance might probably repay a little Care and Charge in its Repair
and Improvement. Upon this Employ was I appointed, and thus was I
busy'd, till the Arrival of the Earl of _Peterborow_ with his little
Army, in order to march to _Valencia_, the Capital of that Province.
Here he left in Garrison Colonel _Hans Hamilton_'s Regiment; the Place,
nevertheless, was under the Command of a _Spanish_ Governor, appointed
by King _Charles_.

While the Earl stay'd a few Days at this Place, under Expectation of the
promis'd Succours from _Barcelona_, he receiv'd _a Proprio_ (or Express)
from the King of _Spain_, full of Excuses, instead of Forces. And yet
the very same Letter, in a paradoxical Manner, commanded him, at all
Events, to attempt the Relief of _Santo Mattheo_, where Colonel _Jones_
commanded, and which was then under Siege by the _Conde de los Torres_
(as was the Report) with upwards of three thousand Men. The Earl of
_Peterborow_ could not muster above one thousand Foot, and about two
hundred Horse; a small Force to make an Attempt of that Nature upon such
a superior Power: Yet the Earl's Vivacity (as will be occasionally
further observ'd in the Course of these Memoirs) never much regarded
Numbers, so there was but room, by any Stratagem, to hope for Success.
True it is, for his greater Encouragement and Consolation, the same
Letter intimated, that a great Concourse of the Country People being up
in Arms, to the Number of many Thousands, in Favour of King _Charles_,
and wanting only Officers, the Enterprize would be easy and unattended
with much Danger. But upon mature Enquiry, the Earl found that great
Body of Men all _in nubibus_; and that the _Conde_, in the plain Truth
of the Matter, was much stronger than the Letter at first represented.

_Santo Mattheo_ was a Place of known Importance; and that from its
Situation, which cut off all Communication between _Catalonia_ and
_Valencia_; and, consequently, should it fall into the Hands of the
Enemy, the Earl's Design upon the latter must inevitably have been
postpon'd. It must be granted, the Commands for attempting the Relief of
it were pressing and peremptory; nevertheless, the Earl was very
conscious to himself,