of an English frigate. He had made an appointment with the Count of Soura to take him and his men on board at Havre-de-Grace; before that town he came to anchor on the 31st October 1660. Soura and his men were assaulted by some Spaniards who had been keeping a look-out, and who by giving and receiving some bodily wounds soothed their own wounded feelings. Louis XIV., still acting his part, had given the Spanish Ambassador his royal permission to arrest Schomberg if he could. But being (of course) forewarned, Schomberg remained on board the frigate, set sail again on the next day, and arrived at Lisbon on the 15th of November. His immediate followers, who met him there, were 80 officers, and 400 veteran cavalry, who had also been officers; another account makes their number 600.
The years 1661 and 1662 Schomberg spent in training the Portuguese troops, who had many of the qualities of good and brave soldiers, though apparently incapable of producing generals. He also stood on the defensive against Don John of Austria, the General of the Spaniards, who made no progress while Schomberg built the necessary walls and forts in the frontier towns. In the meantime, Queen Louisa had strengthened her cause by marrying her daughter Katharine to the King of England. Charles, in acknowledgment of her handsome dowry, sent the Earl of Inchiquin with a body of British troops to augment the Portuguese army. The Earl was soon recalled, and the auxiliaries were handed over to Schomberg.
In 1663, having trained the army, and having at last convinced the jealous native officers that they could not campaign successfully without him, Schomberg was prepared to act on the offensive. He also could leave Lisbon without uneasiness, his friend Fremont dAblancourt, who was a clandestine envoy from the French court, being in constant and friendly communication with the Portuguese ministry. The Portuguese town of Evora having surrendered to Don John, the army under the direction of Schomberg marched to oppose his progress, and, coming up, cut off his supplies. Don John had no choice but to attack the Portuguese, which he did in the neighbourhood of Evora, and was repulsed. Schomberg pursued him, and over- took him in the vicinity of Estremos. “A battle being now unavoidable,”[1] says Dunlop, “Don John possessed himself of two hills, on which he planted his cannon and the greater part of his infantry. His baggage was placed in the rear, and the cavalry was drawn up in four bodies on the plain below. The fight continued for a long while doubtful, till the English auxiliaries in the service of Portugal undertook to climb, on their hands and feet, the steep hills on which the Spaniards were posted; and though many of them were slain in the attempt, the greater part gained the summits. This exploit encouraged three regiments of Portuguese infantry to ascend by an easier and more circuitous path. The Spanish foot were so daunted by this unexpected boldness of the enemy, that they immediately betook themselves to flight, though Don John, alighting from his charger, used every exertion to induce them to rally and face their antagonists. And now the Portuguese horse, which had also been successful against the Spanish cavalry, advancing to second their foot, a great slaughter ensued.” The victorious cavalry were chiefly Schomberg’s veterans. The victory was complete, Evora was restored, and that year’s campaign was closed.
The nominal commander-in-chief, the Count de Villa-Flor, having thwarted Schomberg on all occasions, was now removed. Schomberg was promoted to be the Military Governor. He was also made a Grandee of Portugal, and was given the title of Count of Mertola. These honours were not only rewards for his services, but also heraldic qualifications for high military command.
In 1664, the Spanish army was again commanded by Don John, but could do little more than look on, while Schomberg entered the Spanish territories and took Valencia d’Alcantara. The campaign ended in the defeat, near Castel-Rodrigo, of the Duke of Ossuna, an amateur general of the Spaniards.
In 1665, the Marquis of Caracena superseded Don John in the command of the Spaniards, and gave a kind of personality to the war by marching upon Villa-Viciosa, the landed estate of the Dukes of Braganza, within which was the palace of Braganza. He took the town, and was besieging the fortified castle that towered above it, when Schomberg and the Portuguese army were descried in the distance. The two armies met on the plain of Montesclaros. On this occasion the Portuguese had some advantage in numbers. The first charge was on the Spanish side, and the Italian auxiliary cavalry under the command of Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma, broke the first line of the Portuguese. I follow Dunlop’s narrative, and now quote his words:— “ Schomberg having advanced to rally his troops, the Prince of Parma, who
- ↑ Memoirs of Spain, during the reigns of Philip IV. and Charles II., from 1621 to 1700. By John Dunlop. 2 vols. 8vo. Edin.: Clark.
