GREAT NEWS FROM THE KING IN FLANDERS, GIVING A Full and True Account OF THE PRESENT STATE OF THE Confederate and French Armies.  
In a LETTER to a FRIEND.  
SIR,  
I Have very much longed to send you my Acknowledgements for good News, but things have not Answered our Expectation; yet the French will not come to a Battle, for they are as fearful of the King, as a Child is of a Rod; as soon as e'er the King comes nigh, still they go away.  
On Friday Morning, about nine of the Clock, the King had notice that the French Army Decamped from Florinness the Night before, and were on their March towards Beaumond: At ten of the Clock ours had Orders to Decamp, and March, but to leave our Baggage behind us; by Eleven the whole Army, Horse and Foot, were actually on their March, and the King in the Van of them; between Two and Three we came up to Beaumond, in the full sight of all the French Army, which lay encamped on a Hill: and both sides very Steep and Rocky; at the bottom of it was a deep Miry Ditch, not passable: The King and General Officers spent that Afternoon in going from place to place to see it, and to find out the best place from it, for our Army to pass at, and at two several places we pitched our Bridges; but the French made Batteries there, and it was with Disadvantage; but the Night coming on, the King could not visit more of the Valley, till next Morning; the Armies lay down in the Fields, as did every Body else; the King himself eat in a great Barn full of Corn and Hay, and then lay down upon some of it. The next Morning, at break of Day, he was on Horseback again, and went accordingly towards the French Camp, to see what places there were for our Men to pass▪ but ●ou●d them such as no Man could have Climbed had there been no Opposition▪  
On Saturday Noon, the French began to play their Cannon, but did very little, or no hurt; there were three killed, one was a Dutchman, one of our Garducorps, the other two Spaniards, so at the Evening we returned to our Camp again ●t C●●r, which 〈◊〉 five English Miles from them; but the King is in hopes ●o meet with them as soon as ev●● they come out of the●r D●●s: Our Outguards and the●rs are every d●● picquiering at one another. We have abundance of Deserters come in to us, and we have taken abundance of them Prisoners, a Foraging; and we hear, a great many more will come if they can get Opportunity; there were two Hundred got in●● a Wood to come away, but the French had notice, and have got most of them back aga●●; and since, we hear they are mighty busy at Hanging them.  
But if the King cannot possibly get them to Battle, it is thought he will Besiege still some Town, for we have Army enough to Cover and Besiege, and fight in the Field; our Army consists of near a Hundred Thousand Men, and you would not imagine the pai●● our good King takes; he is mightily Concerned, he cannot get to Fight them: The very Name of the King being at the Head of this Army, puts the French into a great Consternation, insomuch, that they have made such a Law, that whosoever shall say, the King of England is at the Head of the Army, it is present Death.  
We hear the Duke of Berwick is got into the French Army, but in a very poor Equipage; he is in no Command of any thing.  
We have had very great Rejoicing in the Army, for the Conquest in Ireland; God be thanked, the Work is almost done there:  
I could wish with all my Heart, I could send such News, as would make English Hearts Rejoice; but thanks be to God, we do hunt them up and down; we have the pleasure of that. It makes the King Smile to see the poor Dogs, what a fuge they be in, and always a getting under their Garrisons, and under their Cannon; and where ever they come, they cannot Sleep for fear, and always at work to Entrench themselves.  
So having no more at present, but hoping to give you a better Account by Michaelmass, which is all from  
From the Camp at Cor in Flanders, Aug. the 3d, 1691. Your humble Servant, etc.   

LONDON, Printed for T. Bunce. 1691.