As for the King, stung by his continual losses, he wished passionately for nothing so much as a victory, which should disturb the plans of the enemies, and deliver him from the necessity of continuing the sad and shameful negotiations for peace he had set an foot at Gertruydemberg.  But the enemies were well posted, end Villars had imprudently lost a good opportunity of engaging them.  All the army had noticed this fault; he had been warned in time by several general officers, and by the Marechal de Montesquiou, but he would not believe them.  He did not dare to attack the enemies, now, after having left them leisure to make all their dispositions.  The army cried aloud against so capital a fault.  Villars answered with his usual effrontery.  He had quarrelled with his second in command, the Marechal de Montesquiou, and now knew not what to do.

In this crisis, no engagement taking place, the King thought it fitting to send Berwick into Flanders to act as mediator, even, to some extent, as dictator to the army.  He was ordered to bring back an account of all things, so that it might be seen whether a battle could or could not be fought.

I think I have already stated who Berwick was; but I will here add a few more words about him to signalise his prodigious and rapid advancement.

We were in the golden age of bastards, and Berwick was a man who had reason to think so.  Bastard of James II., of England, he had arrived in France, at the age of eighteen, with that monarch, after the Revolution of 1688.  At twenty-two he was made lieutenant-general, and served as such in Flanders, without having passed through any other rank.  At thirty-three he commanded in chief in Spain with a patent of general.  At thirty-four he was made, on account of his victory at Almanza, Grandee of Spain, and Chevalier of the Golden Fleece.  He continued to command in chief until February, 1706, when he was made Marshal of France, being then not more than thirty-six years old.  He was an English Duke, and although as such he had no rank in France, the King had awarded it to him, as to all who came over with James.  This was making a rapid fortune with a vengeance, under a King who regarded people of thirty-odd as children, but who thought no more of the ages of bastards than of those of the gods.

For more than a year past Berwick had coveted to be made Duke and Peer; But he could not obtain his wish.  Now, however, that he was to be sent into Flanders for the; purpose I have just described, it seemed a good opportunity to try again.  He did try, and was successful.  He was made Duke and Peer.  He had been twice married.  By his first wife he had had a son.  By his second several sons and daughters.  Will it be believed, that he was hardy enough to propose, and that we were weak enough to accord to him, that his son of the first bed should be formally excluded from the letters-patent of Duke and Peer, and that those of the second bed