at all
the inhabitants of the place, the neighbouring villages, and adjacent
mountains, acknowledged king Charles as their lawful sovereign.
They seized the town of Denia for his service; and he sent thither a
garrison of four hundred men under the command of major-general Ramos.
On the twenty-second they arrived in the bay of Barcelona: the troops
were disembarked to the eastward of the city, where they encamped in a
strong situation, and were well received by the country people. King
Charles landed amidst the acclamations of an infinite multitude from
the neighbouring towns and villages, who threw themselves at his feet,
exclaiming, "Long live the king!" and exhibiting all the marks of the
most extravagant joy. The inhabitants of Barcelona were well affected
to the house of Austria, but overawed by a garrison of five thousand
men under the duke de Popoli, Velasco, and other officers devoted to the
interest of king Philip. Considering the strength of such a garrison,
and the small number of Dutch and English troops, nothing could appear
more desperate and dangerous than the design of besieging the place; yet
this was proposed by the prince of Hesse d'Armstadt, who served in the
expedition as a volunteer, strongly urged by king Charles, and approved
by the earl of Peterborough and sir Cloudesley Shovel. The city was
accordingly invested on one side; but, as a previous step to the
reduction of it, they resolved to attack the fort of Montjuic, strongly
situated on a hill that commanded the city. The out-works were taken
by storm, with the loss of the gallant prince of Hesse, who was
shot through the body, and expired in a few hours: then the earl of
Peterborough began to bombard the body of the fort; and a shell chancing
to fall into the magazine of powder, blew it up, together with the
governor and some of the best officers: an accident which struck such
a terror into the garrison, that they surrendered without further
resistance.

THE EARL'S PROGRESS IN SPAIN.

This great point being gained, the English general erected his batteries
against the town, with the help of the Miquelets and seamen; the bomb
ketches began to fire with such execution, that in a few days the
governor capitulated, and on the fourth day of October king Charles
entered in triumph. [136] _[See note K, at the end of this Vol.]_ All
the other places in Catalonia declared for him, except Roses; so that
the largest and richest province of Spain