porridge, which they were unmercifully scattering over the wrought flowers of silk and gold whereon it was placed. On a table beside them was cast the diamond George and garter, with rings, trinkets, miniatures, and watches, intermingled with all the apparatus of the toilet, most of which was of embossed silver. Though the King called out from an inner apartment that he would attend his Master of the Horse in a few minutes, his Majesty still kept him waiting some time longer. At length making his appearance in an embroidered silk wrapper, the King proceeded at once to state, that he wished Sir John to carry a despatch of some consequence to his brother the Duke of York, then with the Spanish army in Flanders, who might probably entrust him with certain confidential communications in return, which it might not be safe to commit to writing. There was so much jealousy in his little court, the King observed, that if he selected one of his immediate friends for this mission, he should only offend the others, on which account he requested that the object of their present conference might be kept secret. Proceeding to state that it would be a good opportunity for giving Jocelyn a little insight into the manners of a camp, he concluded by requesting that Sir John would keep a correct account of his disbursements, which should be punctually repaid upon his return. Had this commission been entrusted to any of the parties whose jealousy he affected to apprehend, it is probable that they would have insisted upon their expenses before they started; and it is by no means impossible that the knowledge of

this fact was the sole inducement that led to the selection of Sir John. Be this as it may, the baronet undertook the embassy with great cheerfulness, received his despatches and fresh passes, and, accompanied by Jocelyn, set out on his journey that same afternoon.

THE formidable fortress of Dunkirk, then in possession of the Spaniards, was at this time hotly besieged by the joint forces of England and France, under the command of Turenne, who had run his trenches up to the counterscarp, and so far encroached upon the wall by mines, that he hoped in a few days to be able to make an assault upon the town. Don John of Austria, the generalissimo of the Spanish army, whereof a portion was commanded by the Duke of York, anxious to prevent the fall of this important place, which was to be put into the hands of the English if it surrendered, and would give the already too powerful Protector the key of Flanders, and the command of the French frontier, determined to march with his whole for the purarmy pose of raising the siege. In execution of this purpose he was encamped at Furnes, waiting to be joined by some garrison troops, when Sir John arrived with his dispatches for the Duke of York, and immediately

VOL. I.

10

pointed out to Jocelyn the striking difference between the encampment and aspect of a regular army, and the Tartar tents of the Cavaliers which they had so lately visited. Here were numerous out-posts, sentinels, and videttes, who stopped them to demand their pass at different stations: the camp was placed so as to be covered by a wood on one side, and a canal upon the other the troops were disposed in two parallel lines, the cavalry upon each wing, the foot in the centre, with a body of reserve behind them, and the baggage and artillery in the rear of the whole.

On gaining the duke's quarters, they were informed he was gone to visit the commander-in-chief, to whose tent they were escorted by an officer. It was much larger and handsomer than the others, being canopied at top, and surmounted by the black spread-eagle, which figure was embroidered also upon the sides, while the front was adorned with the Spanish arms and facings of black fringe. Upon entering and sending in his credentials, he was immediately joined by the duke, who received him with great courtesy; and introducing his brother of Gloucester to Jocelyn, with a hope that they might be future companions in arms, requested Sir John to excuse his attendance for half an hour, as he was engaged in a consultation of the last moment with his Highness of Austria. Not completely closing the curtain of the inner tent, as he retired, Sir John was rendered an unintentional spectator of the conference, although he could only catch an occasional word or two of the conversation, which was carried on in an earnest whisper. The parties consisted of the duke,

Don John, and two elderly officers, apparently of high rank, all equipped in half armour, with three Jesuits in the habit of their order, and a diminutive deformed figure in black, whose goggle eyes were staring intently at a large horoscope of the twelve Houses outspread before him, around which were scattered celestial globes, planispheres, tables of the stars, and other apparatus, whose purposes Sir John could not immediately decypher.

From time to time, the hump-backed personage, who seemed to be the principal operator, referred to his tables and made calculations, whose results his companions endeavoured to anticipate, by watching the expression of his countenance, as they rivetted their eyes upon it. The three Jesuits standing together, each with one hand folded in his cloak while the other held his chin, seemed to have a slight curl of incredulity at the corner of the mouth, which scarcely consorted with the deep attention of the closely-knit brows. There was a character of awe as well as of profound attention in the young and handsome faces of the duke and his brother commander; while the two seniors, who sate with their chins resting upon the basket-hilt of their long swords, gazed on the thwart and dwarfish calculator with a grim earnestness. Modern commandersin-chief, who have adopted the opinion of the Marquess de la Ferté, « que le bon Dieu est toujours du côté des gros bataillons," will smile with derision at being told that this was a council of war, the little hunchback being a celebrated astrologer, who by the assistance of his hocus-pocus implements was endeavouring to com