LAZIISTESS OF M. DE VENDOME. 27

obtained several small successes; but these were more than
swallowed up by a fatal loss in another direction. The island
of Sardinia, which was then under the Spanish Crown, was
lost through the misconduct of the viceroy, the Duke of
Veragua, and taken possession of by the troops of the Arch-
duke. In the month of October, the island of Minorca also
fell into the hands of the Archduke. Port Mahon made but
little resistance; so that with this conquest and Gibraltar, the
English found themselves able to rule in the Mediterranean, to
winter entire fleets there, and to blockade all the ports of
Spain upon that sea. Leaving Spain in this situation, let us
turn to Flanders.

Early in July, we took Ghent and Bruges by surprise, and
tlie news of these successes was received with the most un-
bridled joy at Fontainebleau. It appeared easy to profit by
these two conquests, obtained without difficulty, by passing the
Escaut, burning Oudenarde, closing the country to the enemies,
and cutting them off from all supplies. Ours were very abund-
ant, and came by water, with a camp that could not be at-
tacked. M. de Vendome agreed to all this, and alleged nothing
against it. There was only one difficulty in the way,—his
idleness and unwillingness to move from quarters where he
•was comfortable. He wished to enjoy those quarters as long
as possible, and maintained, therefore, that these movements
would be just as good if delayed. Monseigneur le Due de
Bourgogne maintained on the contrary, with all the army—
even the favourites of M. de Vendome—that it would be better
to execute the operation at once, that there was no reason for
delay, and that delay might prove disastrous. He argued in
vain. Vendome disliked fatigue and change of quarters. They
interfered with the daily life he was accustomed to lead, and
vrMch I have elsewhere described. He would not move.

Marlborough clearly seeing that M. de Vendome did not at
once take advantage of his position, determined to put it out
-of Ms power to do so. To reach Oudenarde, Marlborough had
a journey to make of twenty-five leagues. VendSme was so
placed that he could have gained it in six leagues at the most.