Series 2 > Seafield correspondence from 1685 to 1708

FIRST EARL OF SEAFIELD
199
1696]
Banff. In Flanders, during 1696, the campaign was one of
stalemate.
For MR. JAMES BAIRD to be left att SIR JAMES OGILVIE,
Principall Secretarie of Steate for ye Kingdome of
ScOTLANB, HIS LOADGINGS ATT WhYTHALL LoNDONE. per
Holand. 8d
D. Cussen,—I had wreten to you befor this, bott ther
hes notheing fallen outt yett worth pains, onlie the King
is daylie expected att Gent, and money is given outt to
ye armie, qch wes 3 moneths in arair. The Frenshe armie
of 60 thousand strong command by ye Marishall de Wilroy
took ye feill ten days agoe, and came vithin 3 legs of Gentt.
Att fust itt did alarme us extreamlie, we being all in
quarters, and ye fust accompt we had of them wes by ye
bouers careing ther goods to ye churches and driving ther
catel to our syd of ye cuntrie. Our foott imediatlie besett
ye passes one ye canaell betuixt Gent and Bruges, and one
ye fourdable pleaces mounted canon and swans fethers to
oppose ther horse. All ye dragoons are quartered vith ye
bourrs neir ye foott vith orders to march bag and bagadge
one a minutts advertisment, in caice ye enymie should
attempt aney thing, qch they have nott yett doone. Our
cavalrie continou yett in ther quarters. Peple speak
differentlie of ye Frenshe disings heir. Some say they are
to bombard Gent and Bruges, others that they onlie
come to distroy ye cuntrie, and eat up ye foradge, by qch
they secure ther lyns about Yipers, Knok, and Feirun, that
we cannot after have aney camp or meat for horses, qch
hinders our haveing aney campe one that syd. Since ye
King is come we daylie expectt horse foott and dragoons
to taik ye feild, qr things in a shortt tyme vill appair.
We have good hops, and one for one belive we are able to
doe ther bussines. The enymie vill in ye begining of
campyne be stronger than we. They have receved con¬
siderable detashements from ye Ryne, bott most all returne
qn ye Germans taik ye feild, who dra nott outt so earlie
as we by six veiks.
The Marishall Bouflers comands ane other armie stronger