Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton by Daniel Defoe

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I remember upon some other occasional Conversation after, the Provincial
told me, that in the _Carmelite_ Nunnery next to his Convent, and under
his Care, there was a Nun, that was Daughter to _Don Juan_ of _Austria_;
if so, her Age must render her venerable, as her Quality.

Taking notice one Day, that all the People of the Place fetch'd their
Water from a Well without the Town, altho' they had many seemingly as
good within; I spoke to _Don Felix_ of it, who gave me, under the Seal
of Secrecy, this Reason for it:

"When the Seat of the War," said he, "lay in these Parts, the _French_
Train of Artillery was commonly quarter'd in this Place; the Officers
and Soldiers of which were so very rampant and rude, in attempting to
debauch our Women, that there is not a Well within the Town, which has
not some _French_ Mens Bones at the bottom of it; therefore the Natives,
who are sensible of it, choose rather to go farther a field."

By this Well there runs a little Rivulet, which gives head to that
famous River call'd the _Guadiana_; which running for some Leagues under
Ground, affords a pretence for the Natives to boast of a Bridge on which
they feed many Thousands of Sheep. When it rises again, it is a fine
large River, and after a Currency of many Leagues, empties it self into
the _Atlantick_ Ocean.

As to military Affairs, _Almanar_ and _Saragosa_ were Victories so
compleat, that no Body made the least doubt of their settling the Crown
of _Spain_ upon the Head of _Charles_ the Third, without a Rival. This
was not barely the Opinion of his Friends, but his very Enemies resign'd
all Hope or Expectation in favour of King _Philip_. The _Castilians_,
his most faithful Friends, entertain'd no other Imagination; for after
they had advis'd, and prevail'd that the Queen with the Prince of
_Asturias_ should be sent to _Victoria_; under the same Despondency, and
a full Dispiritedness, they gave him so little Encouragement to stay in
_Madrid_, that he immediately quitted the Place, with a Resolution to
retire into his Grandfather's Dominions, the Place of his Nativity.

In his way to which, even on the last Day's Journey, it was his great
good Fortune to meet the Duke of _Vendome_, with some few Troops, which
his Grandfather _Lewis_ XIV. of _France_ had order'd to his Succour,
under that Duke's Command. The Duke was grievously affected at such an
unexpected Catastrophe; nevertheless, he left nothing unsaid or undone,
that might induce that Prince to turn back; and at length prevailing,
after a little Rest, and a great deal of Patience, by the Coming in of
his scatter'd Troops, and some few he could raise, together with those
the Duke brought with him, he once more saw himself at the Head of
twenty thousand Men.

While Things were in this Manner, under Motion in King _Philip's_
Favour, _Charles_ the third, with his victorious Army, advances forward,
and enters into _Madrid_, of which he made General _Stanhope_ Governor.
And even here the _Castilians_ gave full Proof of their Fidelity to
their Prince; even at the Time when, in their Opinion, his Affairs were
past all Hopes of Retrieve, they themselves having, by their Advice,
contributed to his Retreat. Instead of prudential Acclamations
therefore, such as might have answered the Expectations of a victorious
Prince, now entering into their Capital, their Streets were all in a
profound Silence, their Balconies unadorn'd with costly Carpets, as was
customary on like Occasions; and scarce an Inhabitant to be seen in
either Shop or Window.

This doubtless was no little Mortification to a conquering Prince;
however his Generals were wife enough to keep him from shewing any other
Tokens of Resentment, than marching through the City with Unconcern, and
taking up his Quarters at _Villa-verda_, about a League from it.

Nevertheless King _Charles_ visited, in his March, the Chapel of the
Lady _de Atocha_, where finding several _English_ Colours and Standards,
taken in the Battle of _Almanza_, there hung up; he ordered 'em to be
taken down, and restor'd 'em to the _English_ General.

It was the current Opinion then, and almost universal Consent has since
confirm'd it, that the falsest Step in that whole War was this
Advancement of King _Charles_ to _Madrid_. After those two remarkable
Victories at _Almanar_ and _Saragosa_, had he directed his March to
_Pampeluna_, and obtain'd Possession of that Place, or some other near
it, he had not only stopt all Succours from coming out of _France_, but
he would, in a great Measure, have prevented the gathering together of
any of the routed and dispers'd Forces of King _Philip_: And it was the
general Notion of the _Spaniards_, I convers'd with while at _Madrid_,
that had King _Philip_ once again set his Foot upon _French_ Land,
_Spain_ would never have been brought to have re-acknowledged him.

King _Charles_ with his Army having stay'd some Time about _Madrid_, and
seeing his Expectations of the _Castilians_ joining him not at all
answered, at last resolved to decamp, and return to _Saragosa_:
Accordingly with a very few Troops that Prince advanced thither; while
the main Body, under the Command of the Generals _Stanhope_ and
_Staremberg_, passing under the very Walls of _Madrid_, held on their
March towards _Aragon_.

After about three Days' March, General _Stanhope_ took up his Quarters
at _Breuhiga_, a small Town half wall'd; General _Staremberg_ marching
three Leagues farther, to _Cisuentes_. This choice of Situation of the
two several Armies not a little puzzled the Politicians of those Times,
who could very indifferently account for the _English_ General's lying
expos'd in an open Town, with his few _English_ Forces, of which General
_Harvey's_ Regiment of fine Horse might be deem'd the Main; and General
_Staremberg_ encamping three Leagues farther off the Enemy. But to see
the Vicissitudes of Fortune, to which the Actions of the bravest, by an
untoward Sort of Fatality, are often forced to contribute! None, who had
been Eye-witnesses of the Bravery of either of those Generals at the
Battles of _Almanar_ and _Saragosa_, could find Room to call in question
either their Conduct or their Courage; and yet in this March, and this
Encampment will appear a visible ill Consequence to the Affairs of the
Interest they fought for.

The Duke of _Vendome_ having increas'd the Forces which he brought from
_France_, to upwards of twenty thousand Men, marches by _Madrid_
directly for _Breuhiga_, where his Intelligence inform'd him General
_Stanhope_ lay, and that so secretly as well as swiftly, that that
General knew nothing of it, nor could be persuaded to believe it, till
the very Moment their Bullets from the Enemy's Cannon convinc'd him of
the Truth. _Breuhiga_, I have said, was wall'd only on one Side, and yet
on that very side the Enemy made their Attack. But what could a Handful
do against a Force so much superior, though they had not been in want of
both Powder and Ball; and in want of these were forc'd to make use of
Stones against all Sorts of Ammunition, which the Enemy ply'd them with?
The Consequence answered the Deficiency; they were all made Prisoners of
War, and _Harvey_'s Regiment of Horse among the rest; which, to augment
their Calamity, was immediately remounted by the Enemy, and march'd
along with their Army to attack General _Staremberg_.

That General had heard somewhat of the March of _Vendome_; and waited
with some Impatience to have the Confirmation of it from General
_Stanhope_, who lay between, and whom he lay under an Expectation of
being joined with: However he thought it not improper to make some
little Advance towards him; and accordingly breaking up from his Camp at
_Cisuentes_, he came back to _Villa viciosa_, a little Town between
_Cisuentes_ and _Breuhiga_; there he found _Vendome_ ready to attack
him, before he could well be prepared for him, but no _English_ to join
him, as he had expected; nevertheless, the Battle was hot, and
obstinately fought; although _Staremberg_ had visibly the Advantage,
having beat the Enemy at least a League from their Cannon; at which Time
hearing of the Misfortune of _Breuhiga_, and finding himself thereby
frustrated of those expected Succours to support him, he made a handsome
Retreat to _Barcelona_, which in common Calculation is about one
hundred Leagues, without any Disturbance of an Enemy that seem'd glad to
be rid of him. Nevertheless his Baggage having fallen into the Hands of
the Enemy, at the Beginning of the Fight, King _Philip_ and the Duke of
_Vendome_ generously returned it unopen'd, and untouched, in
acknowledgement of his brave Behaviour.

I had like to have omitted one material Passage, which I was very
credibly informed of; That General _Carpenter_ offered to have gone, and
have join'd General _Staremberg_ with the Horse, which was refus'd him.
This was certainly an Oversight of the highest Nature; since his going
would have strengthen'd _Staremberg_ almost to the Assurance of an
intire Victory; whereas his Stay was of no manner of Service, but quite
the contrary: For, as I said before, the Enemy, by re-mounting the
_English_ Horse (which perhaps were the compleatest of any Regiment in
the World) turn'd, if I may be allowed the Expression, the Strength of
our Artillery upon our Allies.

Upon this Retreat of _Staremberg_, and the Surprize at _Breuhiga_, there
were great Rejoicings at _Madrid_, and everywhere else, where King
_Philip's_ Interest prevailed. And indeed it might be said, from that
Day the Interest of King _Charles_ look'd with a very lowering Aspect. I
was still a Prisoner at _la Mancha_, when this News arriv'd; and very
sensibly affected at that strange Turn of Fortune. I was in bed, when
the Express pass'd through the Town, in order to convey it farther; and
in the Middle of the Night I heard a certain _Spanish_ Don, with whom, a
little before, I had had some little Variance, thundering at my Door,
endeavouring to burst it open, with, as I had Reason to suppose, no very
favourable Design upon me. But my Landlady, who hitherto had always been
kind and careful, calling Don _Felix_, and some others of my Friends
together, sav'd me from the Fury of his Designs, whatever they were.

Among other Expressions of the general Joy upon this Occasion, there was
a Bull-Feast at _la Mancha_; which being much beyond what I saw at
_Valencia_, I shall here give a Description of. These Bull-Feasts are
not so common now in _Spain_ as formerly, King _Philip_ not taking much
Delight in them. Nevertheless, as soon as it was publish'd here, that
there was to be one, no other Discourse was heard; and in the Talk of
the Bulls, and the great Preparations for the Feast, Men seem'd to have
lost, or to have lay'd aside, all Thoughts of the very Occasion. A
Week's time was allow'd for the Building of Stalls for the Beasts, and
Scaffolds for the Spectators; and other necessary Preparations for the
setting off their Joy with the most suitable Splendour.

On the Day appointed for the bringing the Bulls into Town, the
_Cavalieroes_ mounted their Horses, and, with Spears in their Hands,
rode out of Town about a League, or somewhat more to meet them: If any
of the Bulls break from the Drove, and make an Excursion (as they
frequently do) the _Cavaliero_ that can make him return again to his
Station among his Companions, is held in Honour, suitable to the
Dexterity and Address he performs it with. On their Entrance into the
Town, all the Windows are fill'd with Spectators; a Pope passing in
grand Procession could not have more; for what can be more than all? And
he or she who should neglect so rare a Show, would give Occasion to have
his or her Legitimacy call'd in Question.

When they come to the _Plaza_, where the Stalls and Scaffolds are built,
and upon which the Feats of Chivalry are to be performed, it is often
with a great deal of Difficulty that the Brutes are got in; for there
are twelve Stalls, one for every Bull, and as their Number grows less by
the enstalling of some, the Remainder often prove more untractable and
unruly: In these Stalls they are kept very dark, to render them fiercer
for the Day of Battle.

On the first of the Days appointed (for a Bull-Feast commonly lasts
three) all the Gentry of the Place, or near adjacent, resort to the
_Plaza_ in their most gaudy Apparel, every one vieing in making the most
glorious Appearance. Those in the lower Ranks provide themselves with
Spears, or a great many small Darts in their Hands, which they fail not
to cast or dart, whenever the Bull by his Nearness gives them an
Opportunity. So that the poor Creature may be said to fight, not only
with the Tauriro (or Bullhunter, a Person always hired for that Purpose)
but with the whole Multitude in the lower Class at least.

All being seated, the uppermost Door is open'd first; and as soon as
ever the Bull perceives the Light, out he comes, snuffing up the Air,
and stareing about him, as if in admiration of his attendants; and with
his Tail cock'd up, he spurns the Ground with his Forefeet, as if he
intended a Challenge to his yet unappearing Antagonist. Then at a Door
appointed for that purpose, enters the Tauriro all in white, holding a
Cloak in one Hand, and a sharp two edged Sword in the other. The Bull no
sooner sets Eyes upon him, but wildly staring, he moves gently towards
him; then gradually mends his pace, till he is come within about the
space of twenty Yards of the Tauriro; when, with a sort of Spring, he
makes at him with all his might. The Tauriro knowing by frequent
Experience, that it behoves him to be watchful, slips aside just when
the Bull is at him; when casting his Cloak over his Horns, at the same
Moment he gives him a slash or two, always aiming at the Neck, where
there is one particular Place, which if he hit, he knows he shall easily
bring him to the Ground. I my Self observ'd the truth of this Experiment
made upon one of the Bulls, who receiv'd no more than one Cut, which
happening upon the fatal Spot, so stun'd him, that he remain'd perfectly
stupid, the Blood flowing out from the Wound, till after a violent
Trembling he dropt down stone dead.

But this rarely happens, and the poor Creature oftner receives many
Wounds, and numberless Darts, before he dies. Yet whenever he feels a
fresh Wound either from Dart, Spear, or Sword, his Rage receives
addition from the Wound, and he pursues his Tauriro with an Increase of
Fury and Violence. And as often as he makes at his Adversary, the
Tauriro takes care with the utmost of his Agility to avoid him, and
reward his kind Intention with a new Wound.

Some of their Bulls will play their Parts much better than others: But
the best must die. For when they have behav'd themselves with all the
commendable Fury possible; if the Tauriro is spent, and fail of doing
Execution upon him, they set Dogs upon him: Hough him and stick him all
over with Darts, till with very loss of Blood he puts an end to their
present Cruelty.

When dead, a Man brings in two Mules dress'd out with Bells and
Feathers, and fastening a Rope about his Horns, draws off the Bull with
the Shouts and Acclamations of the Spectators; as if the Infidels had
been drove from before _Ceuta_.

I had almost forgot another very common piece of barbarous Pleasure at
these Diversions. The Tauriro will sometimes stick one of their Bull
Spears fast in the Ground, aslant, but levell'd as near as he can at his
Chest; then presenting himself to the Bull, just before the point of the
Spear, on his taking his run at the Tauriro, which, as they assur'd me,
he always does with his Eyes closed, the Tauriro slips on one side, and
the poor Creature runs with a violence often to stick himself, and
sometimes to break the Spear in his Chest, running away with part of it
till he drop.

This _Tauriro_ was accounted one of the best in _Spain_; and indeed I
saw him mount the back of one of the Bulls, and ride on him, slashing
and cutting, till he had quite wearied him; at which time dismounting,
he kill'd him with much Ease, and to the acclamatory Satisfaction of the
whole Concourse: For variety of Cruelty, as well as Dexterity,
administers to their Delight.

The _Tauriroes_ are very well paid; and in Truth so they ought to be;
for they often lose their Lives in the Diversion, as this did the Year
after in the way of his Calling. Yet is it a Service of very great
Profit when they perform dextrously: For when ever they do any Thing
remarkable, deserving the Notice of the Spectators, they never fail of a
generous Gratification, Money being thrown down to 'em in plenty.

This Feast (as they generally do) lasted three Days; the last of which
was, in my Opinion, much before either of the other. On this, a young
Gentleman, whose Name was _Don Pedro Ortega_, a Person of great Quality,
perform'd the Exercise on Horseback. The Seats, if not more crowded,
were filled with People of better Fashion, who came from Places at a
distance to grace the noble _Tauriro_.

He was finely mounted, and made a very graceful Figure; but as when the
Foot _Tauriro_ engages, the Bull first enters, so in the Contest the
_Cavaliero_ always makes his Appearance on the _Plaza_ before the Bull.
His Steed was a manag'd Horse; mounted on which he made his Entry,
attended by four Footmen in rich Liveries; who, as soon as their Master
had rid round, and paid his Devoirs to all the Spectators, withdrew from
the Dangers they left him expos'd to. The _Cavaliero_ having thus made
his Bows, and received the repeated Vivas of that vast Concourse,
march'd with a very stately Air to the very middle of the _Plaza_,
there standing ready to receive his Enemy at coming out.

The Door being open'd, the Bull appeared; and as I thought with a
fiercer and more threatning Aspect that any of the former. He star'd
around him for a considerable time, snuffing up the Air, and spurning
the Ground, without in the least taking notice of his Antagonist. But at
last fixing his Eyes upon him, he made a full run at the _Cavaliero_,
which he most dexterously avoided, and at the same moment of time,
passing by, he cast a Dart that stuck in his Shoulders. At this the
Shouts and _Vivas_ were repeated; and I observed a Handkerchief wav'd
twice or thrice, which, as I afterwards understood, was a Signal from
the Lady of his Affections, that she had beheld him with Satisfaction. I
took notice that the _Cavaliero_ endeavour'd all he could to keep aside
the Bull, for the Advantage of the Stroke, when putting his Horse on a
full Career, he threw another Dart, which fix'd in his Side, and so
enrag'd the Beast, that he seem'd to renew his Attacks with greater
Fury. The _Cavaliero_ had behav'd himself to Admiration, and escap'd
many Dangers; with the often repeated Acclamations of _Viva, Viva_; when
at last the enraged Creature getting his Horns between the Horse's
hinder Legs, Man and Horse came both together to the Ground.

I expected at that Moment nothing less than Death could be the Issue;
when to the general Surprize, as well as mine, the very civil Brute,
Author of all the Mischief, only withdrew to the other Side of the
_Plaza_, where he stood still, staring about him as if he knew nothing
of the Matter.

The _Cavaliero_ was carry'd off not much hurt, but his delicate Beast
suffer'd much more. However I could not but think afterward, that the
good natur'd Bull came short of fair Play. If I may be pardon'd the
Expression, he had us'd his Adversary with more Humanity than he met
with; at least, since, after he had the _Cavaliero_ under, he generously
forsook him; I think he might have pleaded, or others for him, for
better Treatment than he after met with.

For as the _Cavaliero_ was disabled and carry'd off, the Foot _Tauriro_
enter'd in white Accoutrements, as before; but he flatter'd himself with
an easier Conquest than he found: there is always on these Occasions,
when he apprehends any imminent Danger, a Place of Retreat ready for the
Foot _Tauriro_; and well for him there was so; this Bull oblig'd him
over and over to make Use of it. Nor was he able at last to dispatch
him, without a general Assistance; for I believe I speak within Compass,
when I say, he had more than an hundred Darts stuck in him. And so
barbarously was he mangled, and flash'd besides, that, in my Mind, I
could not but think King _Philip_ in the Right, when he said, _That it
was a Custom deserv'd little Encouragement_.

Soon after this _Tauridore_, or Bull-Feast was over, I had a Mind to
take a pleasant Walk to a little Town, call'd _Minai_, about three
Leagues off; but I was scarce got out of _la Mancha_, when an
Acquaintance meeting me, ask'd where I was going? I told him to _Minai_;
when taking me by the Hand, _Friend_ Gorgio, says he in _Spanish, Come
back with me; you shall not go a Stride further; there are_ Picarons
_that Way; you shall not go_. Inquiring, as we went back, into his
Meaning, he told me, that the Day before, a Man, who had received a Sum
of Money in Pistoles at _la Mancha_, was, on the road, set upon by some,
who had got notice of it, and murdered him; that not finding the Money
expected about him (for he had cautiously enough left it in a Friend's
Hands at _la Mancha_) they concluded he had swallowed it; and therefore
they ript up his Belly, and open'd every Gut; but all to as little
Purpose. This diverted my Walk for that time.

But some little Time after, the same Person inviting me over to the same
Place, to see his Melon-Grounds, which in that Country are wonderful
fine and pleasant; I accepted his Invitation, and under the Advantage of
his Company, went thither. On the Road I took notice of a Cross newly
erected, and a Multitude of small stones around the Foot of it: Asking
the Meaning whereof, my Friend told me, that it was rais'd for a Person
there murder'd (as is the Custom throughout _Spain_) and that every good
Catholick passing by, held it his Duty to cast a Stone upon the Place,
in Detestation of the Murder. I had often before taken Notice of many
such Crosses: but never till then knew the Meaning of their Erection, or
the Reason of the Heaps of Stones around them.

There is no Place in all _Spain_ more famous for good Wine than _Sainte
Clemente de la Mancha_; nor is it any where sold cheaper: For as it is
only an inland Town, near no navigable River, and the People temperate
to a Proverb, great Plenty, and a small Vend must consequently make it
cheap. The Wine here is so famous, that, when I came to _Madrid_, I saw
wrote over the Doors of host Houses that sold Wine, _Vino Sainte
Clemente_. As to the Temperance of the People, I must say, that
notwithstanding those two excellent Qualities of good and cheap, I never
saw, all the three Years I was Prisoner there, any one Person overcome
with Drinking.

It is true, there may be a Reason, and a political one, assign'd for
that Abstemiousness of theirs, which is this, That if any Man, upon any
Occasion, should be brought in as an Evidence against you, if you can
prove that he was ever drunk, it will invalidate his whole Evidence. I
could not but think this a grand Improvement upon the _Spartans_. They
made their Slaves purposely drunk, to shew their Youth the Folly of the
Vice by the sottish Behaviour of their Servants under it: But they never
reach'd to that noble height of laying a Penalty upon the Aggressor, or
of discouraging a voluntary Impotence of Reason by a disreputable
Impotence of Interest. The _Spaniard_ therefore, in my Opinion, in this
exceeds the _Spartan_, as much as a natural Beauty exceeds one procured
by Art; for tho' Shame may somewhat influence some few, Terrour is of
force to deter all. A Man, we have seen it, may shake Hands with Shame;
but _Interest_, says another Proverb, _will never lye_. A wise
Institution therefore doubtless is this of the _Spaniard_; but such as I
fear will never take Place in _Germany, Holland, France_, or _Great
Britain_.

But though I commend their Temperance, I would not be thought by any
Means to approve of their Bigotry. If there may be such a Thing as
Intemperance in Religion, I much fear their Ebriety in that will be
found to be over-measure. Under the notion of Devotion, I have seen Men
among 'em, and of Sense too, guilty of the grossest Intemperancies. It
is too common to be a rarity to see their Dons of the prime Quality as
well as those of the lower Ranks, upon meeting a Priest in the open
Streets, condescend to take up the lower part of his Vestment, and
salute it with Eyes erected as if they look'd upon it as the Seal of
Salvation.

When the _Ave-Bell_ is heard, the Hearer must down on his Knees upon the
very Spot; nor is he allowed the small Indulgence of deferring a
little, till he can recover a clean Place; Dirtiness excuses not, nor
will dirty Actions by any means exempt. This is so notorious, that even
at the Play-house, in the middle of a Scene, on the first sound of the
Bell, the Actors drop their Discourse, the Auditors supersede the
indulging of their unsanctified Ears, and all on their Hearts, quite a
different way, to what they just before had been employ'd in. In short,
tho' they pretend in all this to an extraordinary Measure of Zeal and
real Devotion; no Man, that lives among them any time, can be a
Proselyte to them without immolating his Senses and his Reason: Yet I
must confess, while I have seen them thus deludeing themselves with _Ave
Marias_, I you'd not refrain throwing up my Eyes to the only proper
Object of Adoration, in commiseration of such Delusions.

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