s
well as more easy Conveyance to _Valencia_. The same Council of War
agreed, that all the Horse in that Kingdom should be drawn together, the
better to insure the Measures to be taken for the opening and
facilitating his Majesty's Progress to _Madrid_.

Accordingly, after these Resolutions were taken, the Earl of
_Peterborow_ embarks his Forces and sails for _Valencia_, where he was
doubly welcom'd by all Sorts of People upon Account of his safe Arrival,
and the News he brought along with it. By the Joy they express'd, one
would have imagin'd that the General had escap'd the same Danger with
the King; and, in truth, had their King arriv'd with him in Person, the
most loyal and zealous would have found themselves at a loss how to have
express'd their Satisfaction in a more sensible Manner.

Soon after his Landing, with his customary Vivacity, he apply'd himself
to put in execution the Resolutions taken in the Councils of War at
_Barcelona_; and a little to improve upon them, he rais'd an intire
Regiment of Dragoons, bought them Horses, provided them Cloaths, Arms,
and Acoutrements; and in six Weeks time had them ready to take the
Field; a thing though hardly to be parallell'd, is yet scarce worthy to
be mentioned among so many nobler Actions of his; yet in regard to
another General it may merit Notice, since while he had _Madrid_ in
Possession near four Months, he neither augmented his Troops, nor lay'd
up any Magazines; neither sent he all that time any one Express to
concert any Measures with the Earl of _Peterborow_, but lay under a
perfect Inactivity, or which was worse, negotiating that unfortunate
Project of carrying King _Charles_ to _Madrid_ by the roundabout and
ill-concerted Way of _Aragon_; a Project not only contrary to the solemn
Resolutions of the Council of War; but which in reality was the Root of
all our succeeding Misfortunes; and that only for the wretched Vanity of
appearing to have had some Share in bringing the King to his Capital;
but how minute a Share it was will be manifest, if it be consider'd
that another General had first made the Way easy, by driving the Enemy
out of _Spain_; and that the French General only stay'd at _Madrid_ till
the Return of those Troops which were in a manner driven out of _Spain_.

And yet that Transaction, doughty as it was, took up four most precious
Months, which most certainly might have been much better employ'd in
rendering it impossible for the Enemy to re-en