15G MEMOIRS OF THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON.

inarching against him with four or five thouNand men, that is
to nay, with just about half of what ho really led. In this an-
guish, Voudflmo did not hesitate to stake oven the Grown of
Spain upon tho hazard of tho die. His third attack wan made
with all tho force of which ho wan capable. Every ono of tho
assailants knew tho extremity of tho clangor, and behaved with
so much valour and impetuosity, that tho town was carried in
spite of an obstinate resistance. Tho besieged wore obliged to
yield, and to the number of eight battalions and eight squad-
rons, surrendered themselves prisoners of war, and with them,
Stanhope, their general, who so triumphant in Madrid, was
hero obliged to disgorge the King's tapestries that lie had taken
from tho palace.

While the capitulation was being made, various information
camo to Vondomo of Staremborg's march, which it was noces-
sary, above all, to hide from tho prisoners, who, had they known
thoir liberator was only a league and a half distant from thorn,
as ho was then, would have broken tho capitulation, and de-
fended themselves. M. do VondOmo's embarrassment was groat.
"Ho had, and at tho same time, to march out and meet Staretn-
bcrg" and to get rid of his numerous prisoners. All was done,
however, very successfully. Sufficient troops were loft in
JUrighuoga to attend to tho evacuation, and when it was at an
end, those troops left tho place themselves and joined thoir com-
rades, who, with M. do Vcwlflme, were waiting for Staremberg
outside tho town, at Villaviciosa, a littlo place that aftorwanlw
gave its name to the battle. Only four hundred men were loft
in Brighuoga.

M, do Vondomo arranged his army in order of battle in a
tolerably open plain, but embarrassed by little knolls in several
places, very disadvantageous for tho cavalry. Immediately
afterwards the cannon, began to lire on both sides, and almost
immediately tho two linen of the King of Spain prepared to
charge, After the battle had proceeded some time, M. do Van-
dfimo perceived that his centre began to give way, and that
tho loft of his cavalry could not break tho right of the onemioH'.
He thought all was lost, anil gave orders accordingly to his