A LETTER FROM THE Duke of Luxembourg, TO THE FRENCH KING: Giving a Full Account of the Late Battle in Flanders.  
Translated from the French Copy.  

Licenced  to Order 1693.   

THO according to my former and long experienced Methods, I have endeavoured to buoy up the drooping Spirits of the Soldiery with the glorious Idea of Victory, and so put new Life and Vigour into the Hearts of your  Troops; yet notwithstanding all my Skill and Industry herein, I fear I shall find my Labour of small Effect, not to say, lost: So hard is it to impose upon any (though of never so mean or vulgar Capacity) the belief of what their very Senses has most apparently found to the contrary: The Verity hereof I now experience; for the Army is so sensible how dearly they paid for the thing, which I am forced (even against my Conscience) to nickname Victory, that they take it as an Injury to Truth, and an Affront to themselves. But that your August Majesty may have a right Prospect of the state of your Majesty's Troops in Flanders, I thought fit by the trusty Hand of Monsieur D' Artagnan to give your Majesty as full an Account, as at present I can; Which is as followeth.  
Upon the 28th. by the Consent of a Council of War, on Consideration that many of the Enemy's Troops were upon several Occasions Detached and Commanded to sundry Places for different Services, We marched our Army towards the Enemy's Camp, knowing in must be much weakened by the late Detachments, and consequently the forcing thereof less Difficult than otherwise we could have thought it would have been. And on the the 29th. early in the Morning we came within shot of the Enemy's Cannon, who were very liberal thereof; for which in a short time we made them plentiful Returns with ours; But with different Success: For though I used my utmost Endeavours to cover our Troops from their Cannon, yet were we more Annoyed and lost far more Men than the Enemy, by reason of their more advantageous Posts. Hence we concluded it necessary to come to a closer Engagement, which was effected about Nine of the Clock in the morning, by sending down a strong Body of Foot to attack the Enemy upon their Right; who by the vigorous Charge of ours, after some Dispute, were forced to Retire, by which, though with great loss of men, we possessed ourselves of some Hedges, which seemed very advantageous Posts, being in the Valley of Lare; But we no sooner had possessed them, but the Enemy signalised their Courage and Conduct by regaining what we with vast Numbers and great Loss had obtained. In the mean time we made an Attack on their Left not far from the Village of Landin, and there had a very hot and sharp Dispute for about Two Hours: But having no Success, and lying open to many Disadvantages, whereby we sustained vast l●ss of men, we were forced to draw off disorderly from that Part: And while this was in doing, we sent down many fresh Battalions, supported by several Squadrons, to make a second Attack upon the Enemies Right; but were Repulsed with great Loss several times, till at length, with continual fresh Supplies, we broke through, and made some of the Enemy's Squadrons to Retire; which notwithstanding were Rallied again, and beat us back; but our men being masters of some Hedges were Reinfoced by all the Troops of the Household, and therewith Fought with the Advantage of Flanking all that were posted at the Head of their Entrenchment, and presently broke in upon the Enemy with such Numbers, that they were no longer able to maintain their Posts against us; being at the same time flanked by our Foot, that still remained posted in the Hedges. Here we gained a considerable Advantage of the Enemy, for as much as their Cavalry were forced to change the Form of their Lines, and were thereby put in some Disorder: Yet for all this their Cavalry made Head against us for some time, while the rest of their Army, beginning at the Left, made a very good Retreat. We being hotly Engaged with the Horse, lost all Opportunity of falling upon their Rear: Besides our Troops were so fatiegued with their former Marches, and this Days hot Service, that we were in no Condition to impede their Retreat. Thus on the 29th. of July we made ourselves Masters of their advantageous Posts. The Number of the slain are many and uncertain; but by reason of the several Disadvantages we had, ours is the greater Loss. This, most dread Sovereign, is all the Account I can give at present, which I thought fit to send with all Expedition.  
Dated from the Camp July 29, 1693. Luxembourg.    

LONDON, Printed for Daniel Lyford in Fleetstreet, 1693.