CHAPTER VIII.

SIR,' said the Chevalier de Grammont, the Prince de Condé besieged

Lerida: the place in itself was no

thing; but Don Gregorio Brice, who 'defended it, was every thing. He was one of the Spaniards of the old stamp, as valiant as the Cid, as proud

6

as all the Guzmans put together, and more gallant than all the Abencerrages of Grenada: he suffered us to 'make our first approaches to the place, ' without the least molestation. The Marshal de Grammont, whose maxim "it was, that a governor, who at first 'makes a great blustering, and burns his suburbs in order to make a noble defence, generally makes a very bad one, looked upon Gregorio de Brice's

6

politeness as no good omen for us; but the prince, covered with glory, and elated with the campaigns of 'Rocroy, Norlinguen, and Fribourg, 'to insult both the place and the go< vernor, ordered the trenches to be ' mounted at noon-day by his own regiment, at the head of which marched 'four and twenty fiddlers, as if it had 'been to a wedding.

'Night approaching we were all in 'high spirits: our violins were playing soft airs, and we were comfortably ' regaling ourselves: God knows how 'we were joking about the poor go'vernor and his fortifications, both of which we promised ourselves to take ' in less than twenty-four hours. This was going on in the trenches, when we heard an ominous cry from the ramparts, repeated two or three times 'of, Alert on the Walls!' This cry

was followed by a discharge of cannon ' and musketry, and this discharge by 'a vigorous sally from the besieged, 'who, after having filled up the trenches, 'pursued us as far as our grand guard.

'The next day Gregorio Brice sent by a trumpet a present of ice and 'fruit to the Prince de Condé, humbly 'beseeching his highness to excuse his 'not returning the serenade which he 'was pleased to favour him with, as unfortunately he had no violins; but that if the music of last night was "not disagreeable to him, he would ' endeavour to continue it as long as 'he did him the honour to remain be'fore the place. The Spaniard was as good as his word; and as soon as we 'heard, Alert on the walls,' we were

sure of a sally, that cleared our

'trenches, destroyed our works, and

'killed the best of our officers and sol'diers. The prince was so piqued at ' it, that, contrary to the opinion of the general officers, he obstinately per'sisted in carrying on a siege, which 6 was like to ruin his army, and 'which he was at last forced to raise

'As our troops were retiring, Don 'Gregorio, far from giving himself 'those airs which governors generally 'do on such occasions, made no other 'sally, than sending a respectful com'pliment to the prince. Signor Brice 'set out not long after for Madrid, to 'give an account of his conduct, and to receive the recompense he had 'merited. Your Majesty perhaps will be desirous to know what reception he met with, after having performed the most brilliant action

'the Spaniards could boast of during 'the whole war-he was confined by 'the inquisition.'

How!' said the Queen Dowager, 'confined by the inquisition for his

but

services! Not altogether for his services,' said the Chevalier; 'without any regard to his services, 'he was treated in the manner I have ' mentioned, for a little affair of gallantry, which I shall relate to the 'King presently.

6

'The campaign of Catalonia being 'thus ended, we were returning home, 'not overloaded with laurels; but as 'the Prince de Condé had laid up a 'great store on former occasions, and as he had still great projects in his

head, he soon forgot this trifling mis'fortune: we did nothing but joke 'with one another during the march,

' and the prince was the first to ridi